Automated cart operation

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for automated cart operation. The automated cart operation may include determining whether a container is full at a first unloading location and, if so, moving the cart from the first unloading location to a second unloading location. The automated cart operation may include moving the cart to a container, determining whether the cart is near the container, and, if the cart is determined to be near the container, stopping the cart. The automated cart operation may include determining a route from a current location to the location of a farm implement that avoids one or more permanent obstacles and areas of the field that have not been harvested and moving the cart to the farm implement on the determined route.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No.16/998,799, filed on Aug. 20, 2020, which claims the benefit of priorityto U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/990,547, filed on Mar. 17,2020, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

The present invention relates to automated operation of a cartconfigured to receive grain from a harvester and unload the grain into acontainer. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate toautomated cart loading, travel to a container, unloading, and/or travelto a harvester.

Discussion of the Background

Carts shorten harvesting time by improving the efficiency of harvestingequipment such as combine harvesters. Carts transport grain fromharvesting equipment in the field to grain trucks or bins at the side ofthe field. Carts are needed because grain bins are immobile, and graintrucks often do not perform well in muddy or rough field conditions andhave the potential to spark fires in dry fields. Carts usually comprisea grain bin (i.e., hopper or box) sitting atop a wheeled frame incombination with an auger means or mechanism for unloading grain fromthe hopper. Carts handle soft or rough fields with ease and aretypically drawn by a tractor alongside a harvester combine, whichunloads its contents into the cart. Carts enable a combine to continueharvesting grain while unloading grain into the cart. This unloading onthe go increases productivity dramatically because harvester combines donot need to stop to unload. In addition, it is not necessary for theharvester combines themselves to travel to grain trucks or bins at theside of the field each time the harvester combine is full. After a cartis loaded with grain by one or more combines, the grain is unloaded fromthe cart into a bin for temporary storage or into a waiting grain truckfor transport to another location, such as a grain elevator. Becausecarts offer a combination of economy, versatility, production savings,and maneuverability, carts have been widely accepted by the farmer andwidely produced by equipment manufacturers.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to a system including acart, one or more sensors, one or more vehicle components, a vehiclecontroller, and one or more computers. The cart may include a hopper.The one or more computers may be configured to use the one or moresensors to determine whether a container is full at a first unloadinglocation. The one or more computers may be configured to, if thecontainer is determined to be full at the first unloading location,cause the vehicle controller to control the one or more vehiclecomponents to move the cart from the first unloading location to asecond unloading location. The first and second unloading locations maybe different.

In some embodiments, the cart may include an auger assembly thatincludes a spout, and the first unloading location may be a location atwhich the spout is positioned over an opening of a container. In someembodiments, the one or more computers may include one or moreprocessors and one or more non-transitory storage media. In someembodiments, the one or more computers may be further configured to usethe one or more sensors to perform obstacle detection while the cart ismoving from the first unloading location to the second unloadinglocation.

In some embodiments, the system may further include a spout controller,the cart may include an auger assembly that includes a spout, and theone or more computers may be further configured to use the one or moresensors to determine whether unused container capacity at the firstunloading location exists and, if unused container capacity at the firstunloading location is determined to exist, cause the spout controller tomove the spout to fill or attempt to fill the unused container capacityat the first unloading location.

In some embodiments, the cart may include an auger assembly. The one ormore computers may be further configured to cause the vehicle controllerto control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart to thefirst unloading location. The one or more computers may be furtherconfigured to use the one or more sensors to determine whether the carthas reached the first unloading location. The one or more computers maybe further configured to, if the cart is determined to have reached thefirst unloading location, engage an auger of the auger assembly. The oneor more computers may be further configured to use the engaged augerassembly to discharge material from the hopper to the container. In someembodiments, the one or more computers may be further configured to usethe one or more sensors to perform obstacle detection while the cart ismoving to the first unloading location. In some embodiments, the systemmay further include a flow gate and a flow gate controller, and usingthe engaged auger assembly to discharge material may include causing theflow gate controller to open and/or close the flow gate.

In some embodiments, the system may further include one or more loadsensors and/or one or more hopper cameras, and the one or more computersare further configured to use the one or more load sensors and/or theone or more hopper cameras to determine whether the hopper is empty and,if the hopper is determined to be empty, shut the flow gate and/or shutdown the auger assembly.

In some embodiments, the cart may include an auger assembly, and the oneor more computers may be further configured to use the one or moresensors to determine whether the container is full and, if the containeris determined to be full, shut down the auger assembly. In someembodiments, the system may further include a location and/or navigationsystem, and the one or more computers may be further configured to: usethe location and/or navigation system to determine a location of thecart, use the location and/or navigation system to determine a routefrom the location of the cart to an auger folding location, and causethe vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components tomove the cart to the auger folding location on the determined route. Insome embodiments, the one or more computers may be further configured touse the one or more sensors to perform obstacle detection while the cartis moving to the auger folding location.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may be further configuredto: use the location and/or navigation system and/or the one or moresensors to determine whether the cart is at the auger folding location;if the cart is determined to be at the auger folding location, use thelocation and/or navigation system and/or the one or more sensors todetermine whether the cart has proper clearance for the auger assemblyto be moved from an operating position to a storage position; if thecart is determined to not have proper clearance, cause the vehiclecontroller to control the one or more vehicle components to move thecart to a new auger folding location; and, if the cart is determined tohave proper clearance, cause the vehicle controller to control the oneor more vehicle components to stop the cart. In some embodiments, theone or more computers may be further configured to: if the cart isdetermined to have proper clearance, use the one or more sensors todetermine whether an obstacle that would interfere with movement of theauger assembly from the operating position to the storage position ispresent; and if no obstacle that would interfere with movement of theauger assembly from the operating position to the storage position isdetermined to be present, cause the vehicle controller to control theone or more vehicle components to stop the cart.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may be further configuredto: if an obstacle that would interfere with movement of the augerassembly from the operating position to the storage position isdetermined to be present, using the one or more sensors to determinewhether the obstacle has cleared within a threshold amount of time; ifthe obstacle is determined to not have cleared within the thresholdamount of time, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to move the cart to a new auger folding location;and, if the obstacle is determined to have cleared within the thresholdamount of time, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to stop the cart. In some embodiments, the system mayfurther include an auger positioner, and the one or more computers maybe further configured to use the auger positioner to move the augerassembly from the operating position to the storage position.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a system including a cart,one or more sensors, a location and/or navigation system, one or morevehicle components, a vehicle controller, and one or more computers. Theone or more computers may be configured to cause the vehicle controllerto control the one or more vehicle components to move the cart to acontainer. The one or more computers may be configured to use thelocation and/or navigation system and/or the one or more sensors todetermine whether the cart is near the container. The one or morecomputers may be configured to, if the cart is determined to be near thecontainer, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to stop the cart.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may include one or moreprocessors and one or more non-transitory storage media. In someembodiments, the one or more computers may be further configured to: usethe location and/or navigation system to determine a location of thecart, use the location and/or navigation system to determine a routefrom the location of the cart to a location of the container, and causethe vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components tomove the cart to the container on the determined route. In someembodiments, the system may further include one or more communicationinterfaces, and the one or more computers may be configured to use theone or more communication interfaces to receive the location of thecontainer. In some embodiments, the location and/or navigation systemmay determine the route using one or more field maps and/or harvestdata. In some embodiments, the one or more of field maps may include thelocations of one or more permanent obstacles. In some embodiments, theharvest data may indicate areas of a field that have been harvestedand/or areas of the field that have not been harvested.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may be further configuredto use the one or more sensors to perform obstacle detection while thecart is moving to the container. In some embodiments, the cart mayinclude a hopper and an auger assembly, and the one or more computersmay be further configured to: if the cart is determined to be near thecontainer, use the location and/or navigation system and/or the one ormore sensors to determine whether the cart has proper clearance for theauger assembly to be moved from a storage position to an operatingposition; if the cart is determined to not have proper clearance, causethe vehicle controller to control the one or more vehicle components tomove the cart to a new location that is near the container; and, if thecart is determined to have proper clearance, cause the vehiclecontroller to control the one or more vehicle components to stop thecart.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may be further configuredto: if the cart is determined to have proper clearance, use the one ormore sensors to determine whether an obstacle that would interfere withmovement of the auger assembly from the storage position to theoperating position is present; and, if no obstacle that would interferewith movement of the auger assembly from the storage position to theoperating position is determined to be present, cause the vehiclecontroller to control the one or more vehicle components to stop thecart. In some embodiments, the one or more computers may be furtherconfigured to: if an obstacle that would interfere with movement of theauger assembly from the storage position to the operating position isdetermined to be present, using the one or more sensors to determinewhether the obstacle has cleared within a threshold amount of time; ifthe obstacle is determined to not have cleared within the thresholdamount of time, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to move the cart to a new location that is near thecontainer; and if the obstacle is determined to have cleared within thethreshold amount of time, cause the vehicle controller to control theone or more vehicle components to stop the cart. In some embodiments,the system may further comprise an auger positioner, and the one or morecomputers may be further configured to use the auger positioner to movethe auger assembly to the operating position.

Still another aspect of the invention relates to a system including acart, one or more communication interfaces, a location and/or navigationsystem, one or more vehicle components, a vehicle controller, and one ormore computers. The one or more computers may be configured to use thelocation and/or navigation system to determine a current location of thelocation and/or navigation system. The one or more computers may beconfigured to use the one or more communication interfaces to receive alocation of a farm implement. The one or more computers may beconfigured to use the location and/or navigation system to determine aroute from the current location to the location of the farm implement.The location and/or navigation system may determine the route using oneor more field maps and harvest data, the one or more of field maps mayinclude the locations of one or more permanent obstacles, the harvestdata may indicate areas of a field that have been harvested and areas ofthe field that have not been harvested, and the determined route mayavoid the one or more permanent obstacles and the areas of the fieldthat have not been harvested. The one or more computers may beconfigured to cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to move the cart to the farm implement on thedetermined route.

In some embodiments, the one or more computers may include one or moreprocessors and one or more non-transitory storage media. In someembodiments, the farm implement may be a container or a harvester. Insome embodiments, the system may further include one or more sensors,and the one or more computers may be further configured to use the oneor more sensors to perform obstacle detection while the cart is movingto the farm implement.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method including: usingone or more sensors to determine that a container is full at a firstunloading location; and, in response to determining that the containeris full at the first unloading location, causing a vehicle controller tocontrol one or more vehicle components to move a cart from the firstunloading location to a second unloading location. The first and secondunloading locations may be different.

Still another aspect of the invention relates to a method including:causing a vehicle controller to control one or more vehicle componentsto move a cart to a container; using a location and/or navigation systemand/or one or more sensors to determine that the cart is near thecontainer; and, in response to determining that the cart is near thecontainer, causing the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to stop the cart.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method including: usinga location and/or navigation system to determine a current location ofthe location and/or navigation system, using one or more communicationinterfaces to receive a location of a farm implement, and using thelocation and/or navigation system to determine a route from the currentlocation to the location of the farm implement. The location and/ornavigation system may determine the route using one or more field mapsand harvest data. The one or more of field maps may include thelocations of one or more permanent obstacles. The harvest data mayindicate areas of a field that have been harvested and areas of thefield that have not been harvested. The determined route may avoid theone or more permanent obstacles and the areas of the field that have notbeen harvested. The method may include causing a vehicle controller tocontrol one or more vehicle components to move a cart to the farmimplement on the determined route.

Further variations encompassed within the systems and methods aredescribed in the detailed description of the invention below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate various, non-limiting embodiments ofthe present invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicateidentical or functionally similar elements.

FIGS. 1A-1E depict several different views of a cart with an augerassembly in an operating position and embodying aspects of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 2A-2E depict several different views of a cart with an augerassembly in a storage position and embodying aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A illustrates a self-contained, self-propelled cart according tosome aspects of the present invention. FIG. 3B illustrates a vehicletowing a cart according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cart unloading grain to a storage containeraccording to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cart receiving grain from a combine harvesteraccording to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a system including a cart and/orvehicle according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a computer of a cart and/orvehicle according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an autonomous cart loading andunloading process according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process of traveling to acontainer according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a process of discharging grain to acontainer according to some aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a process of traveling to alocation at which an auger of a cart can be safely returned from anoperating position to a storage position according to some aspects ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, anumber of illustrative embodiments are described herein with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered asproviding examples of the principles of the invention and such examplesare not intended to limit the invention to preferred embodimentsdescribed herein and/or illustrated herein.

FIGS. 1A-1E are front, left side, rear, top and left side perspective,and top and right side perspective views, respectively, of a cart 100embodying aspects of the present invention. FIGS. 2A-2E are front, leftside, rear, top and left side perspective, and top and right sideperspective views, respectively, of a cart 100 embodying aspects of thepresent invention. In some embodiments, the cart 100 may be capable ofunloading material (e.g., grain) directly into a container (e.g.,container 302 shown in FIG. 4 ) and may use a conveyor to do so. In someembodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A-2E, the conveyor may be an augerassembly 110. In some embodiments, the auger assembly 110 may have anyof the various known auger assembly configurations. In some embodiments,the auger structure may be contained inside a material (e.g., grain)holding container or hopper 118 of the cart 100 or located partially orentirely outside of it. In some embodiments, the auger assembly 110 mayhave a single auger or multiple augers. In some embodiments, the augerassembly 110 may be located at the front, side, back, or corner of thecart 100. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A-2E, the augerassembly 110 may be a front-folding auger assembly. FIGS. 1A-1E show thefront-folding auger assembly 110 in an operating position. FIGS. 2A-2Eshow the cart 100 with the front-folding auger assembly 110 in a storageposition. However, it is not required that the cart 100 have an augerassembly 110 (or even a conveyer), and, in some alternative embodiments,the cart 100 may discharge material through an opening in the bottom ofthe hopper 118 and into a container below (e.g., using gravity).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A-2E, the material holdingcontainer or hopper 118 may be mounted on a frame 115 with wheels 114and a hitch 116. The hopper 118 may have a front wall or side 120,laterally opposed side walls 122 and 124, and a rear wall or sidecomposed of upper and lower rear wall portions 126 a and 126 b, whichtogether define a material (e.g., grain) holding space with an open topand a bottom. In some embodiments, as best seen in FIGS. 1D and E, theupper rear wall portion 126 a may extend downwardly from the top ofhopper 118 at a first angle to intersect with the lower rear wallportion 126 b, which may extend downwardly therefrom at a second anglewhich is steeper than the first angle to promote material flow towardsthe bottom of the hopper. An intake or receiving portion 112 of theauger assembly 110 may be positioned in a sump proximate the base orbottom of the hopper 118 to draw material from the bottom of the hopperinto the auger assembly 110. The auger assembly 110 may extend upwardlyfrom the intake 112 to a discharge portion 104 laterally and forwardlyspaced from the hopper 118 to facilitate discharge of material (e.g.,grain) from the auger assembly 110 into another container such as, forinstance, another cart or rail car located to the side of the cart 100.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A-2E, the auger assembly 110 mayinclude an upper auger assembly portion 102 and a lower auger assemblyportion 106. The lower auger assembly portion 106 may extend from intakeportion 112 at the bottom of hopper 118 to a forward corner of thehopper where the front wall 120 intersects one of the laterally opposedside walls 122 or 124. In some embodiments, the upper auger assemblyportion 102 may be connected to the lower auger assembly portion 106 bya compound angle joint 108 that allows the upper auger assembly portion102 to be moved between an operating position extending laterally andforwardly outward from the forward corner of the cart (as shown in FIGS.1A-1E) and a storage position folded diagonally across the front of thecart (as shown in FIGS. 2A-2E). In some embodiments, the operatingposition is used for unloading material from the hopper 118, and thestorage position is used when material is not being unloaded (e.g., whentransporting or storing the cart 100). The discharge portion 104 mayhave a rotatable opening or spout that can be positioned to dischargematerial from the auger assembly 110 into another cart or the likelocated to the side of cart 100.

In the storage position, the upper auger assembly portion 102 may befolded at joint 108 so that it extends downwardly from the lower augerassembly portion 106 at an angle α (relative to horizontal) diagonallyacross the front of the hopper 118 and an angle θ from the front of thehopper 118. In some embodiments, as best seen in FIG. 2A, the length ofthe upper auger assembly portion 102 and the storage angle α may be suchthat, in the folded position, the upper auger assembly portion 102extends diagonally across the front of the cart 100, and the entireauger assembly 110 may be disposed within the external dimensionalboundaries of the cart 100. This may allow the upper auger to be longerallowing for better side and height characteristics (i.e., reach) whencompared to other corner auger carts in which the front auger generallysits horizontally across the front or side for storage and transport. Insome embodiments, the discharge portion 104 in the storage position doesnot interfere with or prevent access to the hitch 116. In someembodiments, when in the storage position, a longitudinal axis ℓ2 of theupper auger assembly portion 102 may be oriented at a first storageoffset angle θ relative to a line ℓ 1 running parallel to the front ofthe cart 100. Put another way, the first storage offset angle θ may bein the X-Z plane, as shown in FIG. 2E. In some embodiments, when in thestorage position, a longitudinal axis ℓ3 of the upper auger assemblyportion 102 may additionally or alternatively be oriented at a secondstorage offset angle α with respect to a horizontal line ℓ4 extendingfrom the top of the lower auger assembly portion 106. Put another way,the second storage offset angle α may be in the X-Y plane, as shown inFIG. 2A. In some embodiments, angles θ and α may allow the augerassembly 110 to be folded such that the upper auger assembly portion 102does not extend beyond an outer edge 208 of the cart 100.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A, the cart 100 may be aself-contained, self-propelled cart that would not need to be towed by atowing vehicle. In some alternative embodiments, as shown in the FIG.3B, a vehicle (e.g., tractor) 200 may tow the cart 100. In someembodiments, the hitch 116 of the cart 100 may connect the cart 100 tothe vehicle 200. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200 may include apower takeoff, which may provide power for the auger assembly 110 of thecart 100. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4 , the cart 100 may usethe auger assembly 110 to unload material G from the material holdingcontainer or hopper 118 to a storage container 302. In some embodiments,the container 302 may be an immobile material (e.g., grain) bin.However, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments, thecontainer 302 may be part of a mobile container vehicle 300, such as,for example and without limitation, a truck, wagon, or railway car. Insome embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5 , the cart 100 may receive materialG from a combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, the combine harvester 400 may include a header or platform 402.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of a systemincluding the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. In some embodiments, as shownin FIG. 6 , the system may include one or more remote devices 600. Insome embodiments, although not shown in FIG. 6 , the system may includeone or more combine harvesters 400, one or more containers 302, and/orone or more container vehicles 300.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 , the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 may include one or more load sensors 602, one or more hopper cameras604, one or more communication interfaces 606, one or more auger sensors608, an auger drive 610, an auger positioner 612, a vehicle controller614, one or more location and/or navigation systems 616, one or moreproximity sensors 618, one or more rotation sensors 620, one or morecomputers 622, one or more storage devices 624, a spout controller 626,one or more spout sensors 628, a flow gate controller 630, one or morespeed sensors 632, one or more vehicle components 634, and/or one ormore material movement/flow sensors 636. In embodiments where the cart100 is a self-contained, self-propelled cart (see FIG. 3A), the cart 100would include these components (e.g., including the vehicle controller614 and the one or more vehicle components 634). In alternativeembodiments where the system includes a cart 100 and a vehicle 200 thattows the cart 100 (see FIG. 3B), the cart 100 may include some of thesecomponents, and the vehicle 200 may include some others of thesecomponents.

In some embodiments, the one or more load sensors 602 may detect theweight of materials in the hopper 118 of the cart 100. In someembodiments, the one or more load sensors 602 may include a scalesystem. In some embodiments, one or more load sensors 602 may be locatedat the hitch 116 to measure hitch weight, and/or one or more loadsensors 602 may be located on the cart axle (e.g., to measure weight onleft and right sides of the cart 100). In some embodiments, the hopper118 and/or vehicle 200 may include one or more features described inU.S. Pat. Application No. 14/216,160, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the one or more hoppercameras 604 may be configured to take images of the hopper 118 and anymaterial (e.g., grain) therein. In some embodiments, images captured bythe one or more hopper cameras 604 may be used to determine the heightof material in the hopper 118. In some embodiments, the one or more loadsensors 602 and the one or more hopper cameras 604 may be used todetermine whether a load imbalance condition exists with respect tomaterial in the hopper 118 that might cause the cart 100 to rollover orbe unstable. In some embodiments, a load imbalance condition (i) mayresult in high stress areas, which may cause failure, (ii) may lead toinadequate traction for a self-propelled cart, (iii) may lead to largehitch weight, which may cause drawbar failure on a towing vehicle 200,and/or (iv) may lead to a low hitch weight, which may cause inadequatetraction for a towing vehicle 200.

In some embodiments, the one or more communication interfaces 606 may beconfigured for wired or wireless communication using one or morecommunication standards. In some embodiments, the one or morecommunication interfaces may include one or more antennas for wirelesscommunication. In some embodiments, the one or more communicationinterfaces 606 may be configured to receive and/or convey one or more ofWi-Fi signals, radio signals such as Bluetooth radio signals, andcellular signals. In some embodiments, the one or more communicationinterfaces 606 may include a RFID reader.

In some embodiments, the auger positioner 612 may control movement ofthe auger assembly 110 (e.g., movement of the upper auger assemblyportion 102 of the auger assembly 110). In some embodiments, the augerpositioner 612 may be configured to move the auger assembly 110 betweena storage position and an operating position. In some embodiments, theauger positioner 612 may include one or more of hydraulics, mechanicallinkage, and a linear actuator to move the auger assembly 110 betweenthe storage position and the operating position. In some embodiments,the one or more auger sensors 608 may be configured to measure theposition of the auger assembly 110 (e.g., as it moves between thestorage position and the operating position).

In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may include the oneor more vehicle components 634. In some embodiments, the one or morevehicle components 634 may include, for example and without limitation,one or more of a power source for powering the cart 100 and/or vehicle200, a steering component for steering the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200,a transmission component for shifting gears of the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200, a braking component for decelerating the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 or preventing the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 from moving,and an acceleration component for accelerating the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200. In some embodiments, the one or more vehicle components 634may include a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or an engine. In someembodiments, the vehicle controller 614 may control one or more of theone or more vehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200.

In some embodiments, the vehicle controller 614 may control one or morevehicle components 634 using one or more performance parameters. In someembodiments, the one or more performance parameters may include aminimum turning radius for the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. In someembodiments, the one or more performance parameters may additionally oralternatively include one or more PTO RPM performance specificationsthat correlate flow gate opening and PTO RPM speed. In some embodiments,the one or more performance parameters may additionally or alternativelyinclude vehicle and/or cart travel speed limits, which may be based onthe weight of material (e.g., grain) in the hopper 118, loadpositioning, and/or hitch weight. For example, in some embodiments, thevehicle and/or cart travel speed limits may specify a maximum speedlimit for each of one or more material and/or hitch weight ranges. Insome embodiments, the one or more performance parameters mayadditionally or alternatively include one or more of the position ofhopper 118 from hitch 116, the position of the location and/ornavigation system 616 (e.g., a GPS receiver position), the distance fromthe axle of the cart 100 to the hitch 116 and/or location and/ornavigation system 616, the overall width and/or length of the cart 100and/or vehicle 200, the dimensions and position of the open top of thehopper 118, auger discharge position to hitch dimensions, auger foldswing dimensions, and auger discharge height.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., the vehiclecontroller 614 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200) may take one or moreof the performance parameters into account when controlling one or moreof the vehicle components 634. For example, in some embodiments, thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may use the overall width of the cart 100 todetermine a proper parallel travel offset distance relative to thedischarge end of an offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400.For another example, in some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 may use the overall width of the cart 100 when approaching acontainer 302.

In some embodiments in which the cart 100 is towed by a vehicle 200, thecart 100 may convey the one or more performance parameters, which may bereceived by the vehicle 200. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200 mayuse one or more of the performance parameters conveyed by the cart 100(e.g., position of the hopper 118 from the hitch 116, position of theGPS locator and/or navigation system 616, etc.) to perform a vehiclesetup procedure, and/or the vehicle controller 614 of the vehicle 200(or an operator of the vehicle 200) may take one or more of the receivedperformance parameters into account when controlling one or more of theone or more vehicle components 634. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200may use the dimensions of the open top of the hopper 118 relative tohitch 116 to set fore and aft offset distance for proper positioning ofthe open top of the hopper 118 of the cart 100 under the discharge endof an offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400. In someembodiments, the vehicle 200 may use the discharge position of the augerassembly 110 relative to the hitch 116 for proper positioning forunloading into a container 302. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200 mayuse the turn radius limit to prevent a tire of the vehicle 200 fromcontacting the cart 100 or the cart driveline assembly.

In some embodiments, the auger drive 610 may be configured to powerand/or control rotation of the auger of the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, the auger drive 610 may be configured to engage with orreceive power from the vehicle 200 (e.g., via a power takeoff, a primemover, and/or an engine of the vehicle 200). In some embodiments, theone or more rotation sensors 620 may be configured to measure arotational speed of the auger of the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, the one or more rotation sensors 620 may include one ormore hall-effect sensors, one or more magnet arrays, and/or pulsedetection.

In some embodiments, the one or more location and/or navigation systems616 may be configured to determine the location of the vehicle 200and/or the cart 100. In some embodiments, only one of the cart 100 andvehicle 200 includes a location and/or navigation system 616, and, insome alternative embodiments, the cart 100 and vehicle 200 may eachinclude a location and/or navigation system 616. In some embodiments,the location and/or navigation system 616 may include a globalpositioning system (GPS) receiver configured to determine a GPS locationof the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100. In some embodiments, thelocation and/or navigation system 616 may additionally or alternativelybe configured to determine travel routes for the vehicle 200 and/or thecart 100 to another location (e.g., a route for travel from a currentlocation of the cart 100 to the location of a container 302 or thelocation of a combine harvester 400). In some embodiments, the locationand/or navigation system 616 may use one or more of field maps and/orharvest data to calculate the travel routes. In some embodiments, theone or more of field maps may include the locations (e.g., GPSlocations) of one or more permanent obstacles (e.g., transmission linepoles, trees, boulders, fences, barns, houses, waterways, ditches,gullies, etc.) located in the field. In some embodiments, the harvestdata may indicate areas of the field that have been harvested and areasof the field that have not been harvested.

In some embodiments, the one or more proximity sensors 618 may use oneor more of radar, sonar, laser scanning, cameras with image recognitiontechnology, and/or GPS data to sense the environment around the vehicle200 and/or cart 100 (e.g., to detect any obstacles in a movement path ofthe vehicle 200 and/or cart 100). In some embodiments, the one or morespeed sensors 632 may be configured to detect the speed of the vehicle200 and/or cart 100. In some embodiments, the speed sensors 632 mayinclude one or more acceleration sensors configured to detect one ormore accelerations (e.g., forward, lateral, and/or verticalacceleration) of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100.

In some embodiments, the spout controller 626 may be configured tocontrol movement (e.g., rotation and/or tipping) of the spout of thedischarge portion 104 of the auger assembly 110. In some embodiments,the one or more spout sensors 628 may be configured to determine aposition of the spout of the discharge portion 104 of the auger assembly110. In some embodiments, the spout of the discharge portion of theauger assembly 110 may include the one or more material movement/flowsensors 636, which may be configured to determine unload rate ofmaterial from the cart 100. In some embodiments, the materialmovement/flow sensors 636 may use, for example and without limitation,ultrasonic technology and/or laser scanning to determine the unloadrate. In some embodiments, as an alternative to or in addition to usingone or more material movement/flow sensors 636, the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 may use the one or more load sensors 602 and/or the hoppercameras 604 to determine the unload rate (e.g., as indicated by a changein the weight and/or height of material in the hopper 118).

In some embodiments, the flow gate controller 630 may be configured toopen or close a flow gate/door that separates material (e.g., grain) atthe bottom of the hopper 118 from the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, opening the flow gate/door may allow material to flow fromthe hopper 118 into the intake 112 of the lower auger assembly portion106 of the auger assembly 110.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the one or more storage devices 624may be non-volatile and/or capable of being electronically erased and/orrewritten. In some embodiments, the one or more computers 622 may eachinclude a processor and a non-transitory memory. In some non-limitingembodiments, the one or more computers 622 may control the overalloperation of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100. For example, the one ormore computers 622 may control the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 forautonomous loading and unloading of the cart 100 (e.g., includingautonomous travel between one or more combine harvesters 400 and one ormore containers 302).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of a computer ofthe one or more computers 622 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. Asshown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the computer may include one ormore processors 522 (e.g., a general purpose microprocessor) and/or oneor more circuits, such as an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a logic circuit, and thelike. In some embodiments, the computer may include a data storagesystem (DSS) 523. The DSS 523 may include one or more non-volatilestorage devices and/or one or more volatile storage devices (e.g.,random access memory (RAM)). In embodiments where the computer includesa processor 522, the DSS 523 may include a computer program product(CPP) 524. CPP 524 may include or be a computer readable medium (CRM)526. The CRM 526 may store a computer program (CP) 528 comprisingcomputer readable instructions (CRI) 530. The CRM 526 may be anon-transitory computer readable medium, such as, but not limited, tomagnetic media (e.g., a hard disk), optical media (e.g., a DVD), solidstate devices (e.g., random access memory (RAM) or flash memory), andthe like. In some embodiments, the CRI 530 of computer program 528 maybe configured such that when executed by processor 522, the CRI 530causes the computer to perform one or more of the steps described belowwith reference to the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. In other embodiments,the computer may be configured to perform steps described herein withoutthe need for a computer program. That is, for example, the computer mayconsist merely of one or more ASICs. Hence, the features of theembodiments described herein may be implemented in hardware and/orsoftware.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may additionally oralternatively include one or more gyro meters and/or one or moreaccelerometers. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 mayuse the one or more gyro meters and/or one or more accelerometers todetermine pitch and/or roll angles of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200.In some embodiments, the pitch angle may be a front-to-back angle of thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200, and the roll angle may be a side-to-sideangle of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. In some embodiments, the cart100 and/or vehicle 200 may use the pitch and/or roll angles of the cart100 and/or vehicle 200 in determining a proper parallel travel offsetdistance relative to the discharge end of an offloading conveyor of thecombine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 may use the pitch and/or roll angles of the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 when approaching a container 302.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a process 800 of automating theunloading of a cart 100 during active material (e.g., grain) harvest ina field of crop according to some non-limiting embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., acomputer of the one or more computers 622 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle200) may perform one or more steps of the process 800.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 802 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) initiates materialoffloading. In some embodiments, initiating material offloading in step802 may include the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) using the one or morecommunication interfaces 606 to convey a cart ready indication (e.g.,via a Wi-Fi signal, a radio signal such as a Bluetooth radio signal, ora cellular signal). In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may convey a cart ready indication after determining thatthe cart 100 is positioned to receive material from the combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart 100 may be positioned toreceive material if the hopper 118 of the cart 100 is positioned below adischarge end of an offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine thatthe cart 100 is positioned to receive material from the combineharvester 400 using the one or more proximity sensors 618 and/or thelocation and/or navigation system 616.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may additionallyor alternatively determine that the cart 100 is positioned to receivematerial from the combine harvester 400 using information received fromthe combine harvester 400 (e.g., using the one or more communicationinterfaces 606). In some embodiments, the combine harvester 400 mayconvey the information automatically (e.g., when the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 comes within a wireless communication range of the combineharvester 400 and/or when requested by the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200),and/or the combine harvester 400 may convey the information manually(e.g., under the control of an operator of the combine harvester. Insome embodiments, the information from the combine harvester 400 mayinclude real time information. In some embodiments, the information fromthe combine harvester 400 may include travel information and/orinformation about the combine harvester 400 itself (e.g., dimensions ofthe combine harvester 400). In some embodiments, the combine harvester400 may convey the information periodically, on demand, and/or whenchanges to the information occur.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 may be positioned to receive materialif (i) the hopper 118 of the cart 100 is positioned below a dischargeend of an offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400 and (ii) thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 is moving at the same speed and in the samedirection as the combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may cause the vehicle controller 614 tocontrol one or more of the one or more vehicle components 634 of thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., the steering component, thetransmission component, the braking component, and/or the accelerationcomponent) to match the speed and direction of the combine harvester 400and maintain the positioning of the hopper 118 of the cart 100 below thedischarge end of the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400(e.g., as determined using the one or more proximity sensors 618). Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may cause thevehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the one or more vehiclecomponents 634 to maintain the cart 100 at an offset position (relativeto the combine harvester 400) at which the hopper 118 of the cart 100 ispositioned below a discharge end of an offloading conveyor of thecombine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may receivetravel information of the combine harvester 400 (e.g., using the one ormore communication interfaces 606). In some embodiments, the receivedtravel information of the combine harvester 400 may include the speed,the direction, the acceleration (e.g., forward, lateral, and/or verticalacceleration), and/or a planned route of the combine harvester 400. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may receive thetravel information from one or more remote devices 600 (e.g., a cloudserver) to which the combine harvester 400 conveyed (e.g., uploaded) itstravel information. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may use the received travel information of the combineharvester 400, the one or more speed sensors 632, and/or the one or moreproximity sensors 618 to match the speed and direction of the combineharvester 400 and maintain the positioning of the hopper 118 of the cart100 below the discharge end of the offloading conveyor of the combineharvester 400.

In some embodiments, the travel information may include the roll angle(e.g., side-to-side angle) and/or pitch angle (e.g., front-to-backangle) of the combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the pitchand/or roll angles may be determined using one or more gyro metersand/or one or more accelerometers on the combine harvester 400. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the pitchand/or roll angles of the combine harvester 400 (and/or pitch and/orroll angles of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200) to detect uneven groundand/or different elevations between the combine harvester 400 and thecart 100. In some embodiments, the one or more field maps may includethe elevation information indicating the elevation at the differentlocations (e.g., GPS locations) covered by the one or more field maps,and the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may additionally oralternatively use the elevation information of the one or more fieldmaps to detect the uneven ground and/or different elevations between thecombine harvester 400 and the cart 100. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may compensate for the uneven ground and/ordifferent elevations when determining, maintaining, and/or adjusting theoffset position (relative to the combine harvester 400) at which pointthe hopper 118 of the cart 100 is positioned below the discharge end ofthe offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, the information received from the combine harvester400 may include a width of the header or platform 402 of the combineharvester 400, a harvesting width of the combine harvester 400, and/oran indication of the difference (if any) between the harvesting width ofthe combine harvester 400 and the width of the header or platform 402 ofthe combine harvester 400. For example, in some embodiments, theharvested width may be smaller than the header or platform 402 of thecombine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may use one or more of the width of the header or platform402, the harvesting width, and the difference between the harvestingwidth and the width of the header or platform 402 to determine theoffset position relative to the combine harvester 400. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may set the offsetposition relative to the combine harvester 400 so that the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) remains outside the width of the header orplatform 402 of the combine harvester 400 and, therefore, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may avoid running into the header or platform402.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may approach thecombine harvester 400 and position the hopper 118 of the cart 100 toreceive material from the combine harvester 400 before the combineharvester 400 is ready to unload (e.g., before the combine harvester 400has lowered, extended, and/or unfolded its offloading conveyor from astorage position to an operating/offloading position). In someembodiments, approaching the combine harvester 400 and positioning thehopper 118 in this manner may reduce the risk of collision between thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 and the offloading conveyor of the combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart ready indication mayinclude confirmation to the harvester 400 (e.g., a cart self-check) thatthe cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 is in proper position to avoid undesiredconditions such as contact with the offloading conveyor of the combineharvester 400 or the combine harvester 400 unloading contents onto theground. In some embodiments, the harvester 400 may provide aconfirmation/check that its offloading conveyor is in a particularposition such as a storage position to avoid contact with the cart 100and/or vehicle 200, and, after the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 are inposition, the harvester 400 may lower, extend, and/or unfold itsoffloading conveyer from a storage position to an operating/offloadingposition.

In some embodiments, the combine harvester 400 may receive the cartready indication and initiate offloading of material from the combineharvester 400 to the cart 100. In some embodiments, initiatingoffloading of material from the combine harvester 400 to the cart 100may include the combine harvester 400 engaging or powering on an augerand/or conveyor belt of the combine harvester 400 and/or opening a flowgate/door that separates material in a container of the combineharvester 400 from the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400so that material can flow into the offloading conveyor.

In some alternative embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) mayinitiate material offloading by positioning the cart 100 to receivematerial from the combine harvester 400 (without the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 conveying a cart ready indication), and the combineharvester 400 may begin material offloading when the combine harvester400 (or an operator of the combine harvester 400) determines that thecart 100 is positioned to receive material from the combine harvester400.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 804 in which the cart 100 receives material from the combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the material received from thecombine harvester 400 may fill the hopper 118 of the cart 100. In someembodiments, offloading of material from the combine harvester 400 tothe cart 100 may be interrupted (e.g., temporarily).

In some embodiments, the material offloading may be halted if one ormore of the cart 100, vehicle 200, harvester 400 detects contact (or thepotential for contact) between the offloading conveyor of the harvester400 and the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., due to terrain such aswaterways). In some embodiments, the potential for contact may bedetected based on the planned travel path taking the harvester 400 andcart 100 over a field map indicated terrain change such as, for exampleand without limitation, waterways, terraces, or elevation changes. Insome embodiments, potential contact may be determined (e.g., in realtime) by taking into account a location (e.g., GPS location) of theharvester 400, cart 100, and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., as determined by alocation and/or navigation system of the harvester 400 and/or thelocation and/or navigation system 616 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle200). In some embodiments, potential contact may additionally oralternatively be determined (e.g., in real time) by taking into accountvehicle-to-cart hitch articulations. In some embodiments, the locationand/or hitch articulation information may be used to determine whetherthe cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) or harvester 400 has traveled over aterrain change, which may cause damage such as, for example and withoutlimitation, to the harvester unload conveyor. In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may additionally or alternatively usethe roll angle of the combine harvester 400 (and/or the roll angle ofthe cart 100 and/or vehicle 200) to detect the potential for contactbetween the offloading conveyor of the harvester 400 and the cart 100and/or vehicle 200. In some embodiments, if contact (or the potentialfor contact) is detected, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maycause the vehicle controller 614 to move the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200relative to the harvester 400 (e.g., by slowing, stopping, and/orsteering away the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200).

In some embodiments, the material offloading may be halted when thecombine harvester 400 has reached (or is about to reach) the end of thefield or the end of a row and has to change direction (e.g., turnaround) to continue harvesting. In some embodiments, after materialoffloading has been halted, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maycause the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the one ormore vehicle components 634 to return the cart 100 to the offsetposition (relative to the combine harvester 400) at which point thehopper 118 of the cart 100 is positioned below the discharge end of theoffloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400 so that materialoffloading may resume. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 may convey a cart ready indication to the combine harvester 400 whenthe cart 100 is in position and ready to receive material (e.g., grain)again.

In some embodiments, the step 804 may include the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) performing a load balance check to determine whether anyindication of an uneven load that might make the cart 100 unstableexists. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) mayuse the one or more load sensors 602 (e.g., at the hitch 116 to measurehitch weight and/or on the cart axle to measure weight on the left andright sides of the cart 100) and/or the one or more hopper cameras 604to determine whether a load imbalance condition exists with respect tomaterial in the hopper 118. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may additionally or alternatively use sensors (e.g.,gyro meters and/or accelerometers) to determine vehicle pitch and/orroll angles, steering angle sensors, and/or suspension height positionsensors to determine whether a load imbalance condition exists withrespect to material in the hopper 118 and/or uneven terrain conditions.

In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determinesthat a load imbalance condition exists while the cart 100 is receivingmaterial from the combine harvester 400, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may adjust the positioning of the hopper 118 relative to adischarge end of the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400(e.g., by causing the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more ofthe one or more vehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle200) to correct the imbalance by filling a different portion of thehopper 118. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may adjust the positioning of the hopper 118 relative to a discharge endof the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400 by changing alateral offset and/or longitudinal offset of the cart 100 relative tothe discharge end of the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester400. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)determines that a load imbalance condition exists while the cart 100 isreceiving material from the combine harvester 400, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may additionally or alternatively convey a loadimbalance indication to the combine harvester 400 (e.g., using the oneor more communication interfaces 606). In some embodiments, if thecombine harvester 400 receives a load imbalance indication, the combineharvester 400 may adjust the position of the discharge end of theoffloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 806 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) determines whetherto unload the cart 100. In some embodiments, the unload determinationmay occur while the cart 100 is receiving material from a combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the unload determination in step 806may include the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) monitoring an amount ofmaterial in the hopper 118 of the cart 100. In some embodiments, theunload determination in step 806 may include determining whether theamount of material in the hopper 118 has reached one or more cart fullcapacity thresholds. In some embodiments, the amount of material in thehopper 118 reaching one or more cart full capacity thresholds mayindicate that the hopper 118 is full. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may determine to unload the cart 100 if the amountof material in the hopper 118 has reached one, some, or all of the oneor more cart full capacity thresholds.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may monitor theamount of material in the hopper 118 using the one or more load sensors602 to determine the weight of material (e.g., grain) in the hopper 118.In some embodiments, the one or more cart full capacity thresholds mayinclude a cart full weight threshold, and the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may determine whether the weight of material in the hopper 118 hasreached the cart full weight threshold.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may monitor theamount of material in the hopper 118 by additionally or alternativelyusing the one or more hopper cameras 604 to determine the height ofmaterial (e.g., grain) in the hopper 118. In some embodiments, the oneor more cart full capacity thresholds may include a cart full heightthreshold, and the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine whetherthe height of material in the hopper 118 has reached the cart fullheight threshold. In some embodiments, the one or more computers 622 ofthe cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 receive images (e.g., video and/orpictures) from the one or more hopper cameras 604 and use imagerecognition technology to determine the height of material in the hopper118. In some embodiments, the surface of the hopper 118 may include oneor more horizontal lines, and the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) maydetermine the height of material in the hopper 118 by determining which(if any) of the one or more horizontal lines are visible.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may monitor theamount of material in the hopper 118 by additionally or alternativelyusing sensors (e.g., one or more proximity sensors and/or one or morepressure sensors) in the hopper 118 that are spaced at determinedlocations and sense whether the material has reached a predeterminedlevel (e.g., height level).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 808 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) initiatestermination of material offloading. In some embodiments, the initiationof termination of material offloading in step 808 may include the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) using the one or more communication interfaces606 to convey a cart full indication (e.g., via a Wi-Fi signal, a radiosignal such as a Bluetooth radio signal, or a cellular signal). In someembodiments, the combine harvester 400 may receive the cart fullindication and terminate offloading of material from the combineharvester 400 to the cart 100. In some embodiments, terminatingoffloading of material from the combine harvester 400 to the cart 100may include the combine harvester 400 disengaging or powering off anoffloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400 and/or closing a flowgate/door that separates material in a container of the combineharvester 400 from the offloading conveyor of the combine harvester 400to prevent material from flowing into the offloading conveyor. In someembodiments, after terminating material offloading, the combineharvester 400 may convey an indication that the material offloading hasbeen terminated (e.g., via a Wi-Fi signal, a radio signal such as aBluetooth radio signal, or a cellular signal). In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive the material offloadingtermination indication (e.g., using the one or more communicationinterfaces 606).

In some embodiments, termination of offloading of material by thecombine harvester 400 may not occur simultaneously with the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) making the unload determination in step 806 orinitiating termination of material offloading in step 808, and there mayinstead be a delay while the combine harvester 400 completes terminationof material offloading. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may account for this by making the determination to unloadthe cart 100 in step 806 while there is still sufficient room in thehopper 118 for the cart 100 to continue receiving material until thecombine harvester 400 terminates offloading of material to the cart 100.In some embodiments, the hopper 118 may include extra capacity that actsas a safety buffer after the one or more cart capacity thresholds arereached. In some embodiments, this may prevent (or reduce thepossibility of) material overflowing the hopper 118 while the combineharvester 400 completes termination of material offloading.

In some embodiments, the determination of whether to unload the cart 100in step 806 may additionally or alternatively occur while the cart 100is not receiving material from a combine harvester 400 (e.g., after anoffloading event in which the combine harvester 400 has transferredmaterial to the cart 100). In some embodiments, the unload determinationwhile the cart 100 is not receiving material may include determiningwhether the amount of material in the hopper 118 has reached one or moreapproaching cart capacity thresholds, which may be lower than the one ormore cart full capacity thresholds. In some embodiments, the amount ofmaterial in the hopper 118 reaching one or more approaching cartcapacity thresholds may indicate that the hopper 118 is close to beingfull and does not have enough remaining capacity to begin a newoffloading event in which the cart 100 receives further material fromthe combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the one or moreapproaching cart capacity thresholds may include an approaching cartfull weight threshold (e.g., monitored using the one or more loadsensors 602) and/or an approaching cart full height threshold (e.g.,monitored using the one or more hopper cameras 604). In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine to unloadthe cart 100 if the amount of material in the hopper 118 has reachedone, some, or all of the one or more approaching cart capacitythresholds.

In some embodiments, if a determination to unload the cart 100 in step806 occurs while the cart 100 is not receiving material from a combineharvester 400, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may convey a cart fullindication (e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces 606) instep 808 so that the combine harvester 400 knows not to restart materialoffloading. In some embodiments, because material offloading is notpresently occurring, the combine harvester 400 may convey an indicationthat the material offloading has been terminated, and the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may receive the material offloading terminationindication (e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces 606).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 810 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) determines a routefor travel to a container 302. In some embodiments, the step 810 mayinclude the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) receiving one or moreidentifications of one or more containers 302 into which material can beunloaded. In some embodiments, the container identification may includeone or more of (i) a location (e.g., a GPS location) of the container302, (ii) a unique identification number for the container 302, (iii) atotal capacity of the container 302, (iv) remaining material capacity ofthe container 302, and (v) an indication of whether the container 302 ora portion of the capacity thereof is reserved by one or more other carts100.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive theone or more container identifications using the one or morecommunication interfaces 606 (e.g., by receiving a Wi-Fi signal, a radiosignal such as a Bluetooth radio signal, or a cellular signal). In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive the one ormore container identifications directly or indirectly from one or morecontainers 302. In some alternative embodiments, one or more containers302 (and/or one or more container vehicles 300) may convey (e.g.,upload) container identifications to the one or more remote devices 600,and the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive (e.g., download) theone or more container identifications from the one or more remotedevices 600.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive onlyone container identification (e.g., if the grain cart 100 is assigned tofill a particular container 302), and the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200)may select the container 302 identified by the one containeridentification as the container 302 for unloading material from the cart100. In some embodiments, a container 302 may only be assigned to onecart 100 to avoid multiple carts 100 unloading into the same container302, to avoid carts 100 (and/or vehicles 200) from running into eachother, and/or to prevent overloading the container 302. In someembodiments, if multiple carts 100 are assigned to one container 302,the carts 100 may be assigned to different sides, ends, or sections ofthe container 302. For example, a first cart 100 may be assigned to afirst side and first end of the container 302, and a second cart 100 maybe assigned to a second side, which is opposite the first side, and asecond end, which is opposite the first end, of the same container 302.In some embodiments, multiple carts 100 assigned to the same container302 may communicate (e.g., in real time) information to each otherand/or to a cloud based program running on one or more remote devices600. In some embodiments, the information may indicate the weight ofmaterial being unloaded from the cart 100 (e.g., to avoid overloadingthe container 302). In some embodiments, each of the multiple carts 100assigned to one container 302 may be assigned a capacity (e.g., a weightcapacity) of material to unload into the container 302, and thecapacities may be assigned such they do not exceed the total capacity ofthe container 302.

In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) receives twoor more container identifications, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) mayselect one or more of the containers 302 for unloading material from thecart 100. In some embodiments, if the grain cart 100 or vehicle 200 isassigned to a particular container 302, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may select the container 302 to which the grain cart 100 or vehicle200 is assigned as the container 302 for unloading material from thecart 100. In some alternative embodiments, the one or more remotedevices 600 or the combine harvester 400 may select the container 302for unloading material from the cart 100 (instead of the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 making the selection) and convey an identification of theselected container 302 to the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., inresponse to a request from the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 for acontainer selection).

In some alternative embodiments, the container selection may considerone or more of (i) route distance between the cart 100 and container302, (ii) estimated travel time to the container 302, (iii) the volumeof material in the hopper 118 of the cart 100, (iv) the remainingcapacity of the container 302, (v) whether the container 302 or aportion of the capacity thereof is reserved by one or more other carts100, and (vi) whether the container 302 is stationary or moving. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may, for example, selectthe closest container 302 having a remaining capacity (e.g., remainingunreserved capacity) sufficient to receive the volume of material in thehopper 118 of the cart 100. In some alternative embodiments, the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) may select the one or more containers 302 thatwould result in the fastest unloading of the cart 100 (even if thematerial from the cart 100 would be unloaded into more than onecontainer 302). In some further alternative embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may prioritize completing the filling of containers302 and may select the one or more containers 302 that have the smallestremaining capacities (e.g., to get the most trucks 300 having fullcontainers 302 on the road). In some embodiments, the containerselection may be made based on selection preferences of an operator ormanager. In some alternative embodiments in which the harvester 400and/or a remote device 600 select one or more containers 302 for a cart100 and assigns the selected one or more containers 302 to the cart 100(instead of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 making the containerselection), the harvester 400 and/or remote device 600 may select theone or more containers 302 based on any of the above considerations.

In some embodiments, after selecting one or more containers 302, thecart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may reserve the one or more selectedcontainers 302 (or portions thereof). In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may reserve the one or more selected containers 302(or portions thereof) by conveying one or more container selections(e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces 606) directly orindirectly to the one or more selected containers 302, one or morecombine harvesters 400, one or more other carts 100, and/or one or moreother vehicles 200. For example, in some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may convey the one or more container selections toone or more remote devices 600 (e.g., a cloud server), and the one ormore selected containers 302, one or more combine harvesters 400, one ormore other carts 100, and/or one or more other vehicles 200 may receive(e.g., download) the one or more container selections from the one ormore remote devices 600. In some embodiments, the ability for the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) to reserve a container 302 may prevent (orreduce the possibility of) multiple carts 100 from traveling to the samecontainer 302, which may not have enough capacity for the material ofthe multiple carts 100.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine theroute for travel from the current location of the cart 100 to thelocation of the selected container 302. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) may calculate the route using the locationand/or navigation system 616. In some embodiments, the location and/ornavigation system 616 may use one or more of field maps and/or harvestdata. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may receive(or have received) the field maps and/or harvest data using the one ormore communication interfaces 606. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may store the field maps and/or harvest data in theone or more storage devices 624. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may receive the field maps and/or harvest data fromthe combine harvester 400 from which the cart 100 received material(and/or from one or more additional combine harvesters 400 that areharvesting the fields). In some embodiments, one or more harvestercombines 400 may convey (e.g., upload) their harvest data to one or moreremote devices 600 (e.g., a cloud server), and the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may receive the harvest data from the one or more remotedevices 600.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may calculate aroute to the container 302 that avoids (to the extent possible) the oneor more permanent obstacles included in the one or more of field mapsand/or the areas of the field identified by the harvest data as notharvested (to avoid damage to unharvested crops that might occur if thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 were to travel over and through areas thathave not been harvested). In some embodiments, as harvesting that willtake place in the near future may open up a better route, the routecalculations may consider unharvested areas that are predicted to beharvested by the time the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 would arrive. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may calculate aroute to the container 302 that avoids or reuses previous travel routes,such as tram lines (e.g., to reduce soil compaction). In someembodiments, the calculated route may, where possible, run with thedirection of rows (e.g., inner perimeter rows) and/or ridges in thefield to avoid knocking down ridges and/or reduce stress on componentsof the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., straddle duals, wheels, tires,frame, track systems, and the like).

In some embodiments, a combine harvester 400, cart 100, and/or vehicle200 may mark areas and/or locations of new or previously undetectedobstacles (e.g., steep uneven ground caused by rain washout) that thecombine harvester 400, cart 100, or vehicle 200 encounters. In someembodiments, the combine harvester 400, cart 100, and/or vehicle 200 maymark a location as steep uneven ground if a hitch and/or roll angle(e.g., as detected by one or more gyro meters and/or one or moreaccelerometers) of the combine harvester 400, cart 100, or vehicle 200exceeds an uneven ground steepness threshold. In some embodiments, thenew or previously undetected obstacles may be included in the one ormore field maps, and the calculated route may additionally avoid (to theextent possible) the new or previously undetected obstacles.

In some embodiments, the calculated route may take into considerationwet harvest season conditions and, to the extent reasonably possible,seek to stay at higher elevations, seek routes having at least athreshold elevation, and/or avoid low elevations that may collect orhold water. In some embodiments, information about wet field areas toavoid may be set by a user/operator/manager and/or discovered and markedby one or more combine harvesters 400, one or more carts 100, and/or oneor more vehicles 200, which may have gotten stuck, had wheels slip,otherwise been halted or slowed by wet field conditions. In someembodiments, a combine harvester 400, cart 100, and/or vehicle 200 maymark areas and/or locations of drive wheel slips. In some embodiments,the information about wet field areas may be included in the one or moreof field maps and/or the harvest data.

In some embodiments, the calculated route may take into account anydowned carts 100, vehicles 200, and/or combine harvesters 400. In someembodiments, a cart 100, vehicle 200, and/or combine harvester 400 thatis having difficulties (e.g., mechanical difficulties) may shut itselfdown and convey (e.g., upload) its location to the one or more remotedevices 600 (e.g., a cloud server). The cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200)may receive information about the locations of any downed carts,vehicles, and/or combine harvesters from the one or more remote devices600. In some embodiments, the information about the locations of anydowned carts, vehicles, and/or combine harvesters may be included in theone or more of field maps and/or the harvest data. In some embodiments,when a downed cart, vehicle, or combine harvester is operational again(or is removed from the field), the cart, vehicle, or combine harvestermay convey (e.g., upload) an update to the one or more remote devices600 (e.g., a cloud server).

In some embodiments, all carts 100 (and/or vehicles 200) in a harvestingarea or harvesting project may communicate or share planned travelroutes with other, and the calculated route may additionally oralternatively take into account the shared planned travel routes tocollisions with other carts 100 and/or vehicles 200.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 812 in which the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 travel to thecontainer 302. In some embodiments, in step 812, the vehicle 200 and/orthe cart 100 may travel to the container 302 selected in step 810. FIG.9 is a flow chart illustrating a process 900 of traveling to thecontainer 302 according to some non-limiting embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments, one or more steps of the process 900 maybe performed during the step 812 of the process 800 of FIG. 8 . In someembodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., the one or morecomputers 622 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200) may perform one ormore steps of the process 900.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 902 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the offloading of material from the combine harvester 400 hasterminated. In some embodiments, the traveling process 900 may includethe step 902 so that the vehicle 200 (and/or the cart 100) may not begintraveling to the container 302 and abandon the combine harvester 400before the combine harvester 400 completes termination of materialoffloading. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may determine that material offloading has terminated if the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) has received a material offloading terminationindication from the combine harvester 400 (e.g., using the one or morecommunication interfaces 606). In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may determine that material offloading has terminatedby additionally or alternatively using the one or more load sensors 602and/or one or more hopper cameras 604. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) would determinate (and/or confirm) thatmaterial offloading has terminated by using the one or more load sensors602 to determine that the weight of material in the hopper 118 is notincreasing and/or by one or more hopper cameras 604 to determine thatthe height of material in the hopper 118 is not increasing. In someembodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines thatmaterial offloading has terminated, the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 maybegin traveling to the container 302.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 903 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) performs a loadbalance check to detect whether any indication of an uneven load thatmight tip over the cart 100 or otherwise make the cart 100 unstableduring movement exists. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 may include a load balance sensor system that detects an unevenweight distribution across the hopper 118 of the cart 100. In someembodiments, the load balance sensor system may be implemented by theone or more load sensors 602 and/or the one or more hopper cameras 604.In some embodiments, the load balance sensor system may additionally oralternatively be implemented using sensors to determine vehicle pitchand/or roll angles, steering angle sensors, and/or suspension heightposition sensors. In some embodiments, if no load imbalance is detectedin step 903, the process 900 may proceed to step 904.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 904 in which the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may travel to thecontainer 302. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100may travel to the container 302 using a determined route (e.g., theroute determined in step 810 of the process 800 of FIG. 8 ). In someembodiments, in step 904, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may travelby using the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the one ormore vehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g.,the steering component). In some embodiments, while traveling, thevehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or more speed sensors632 and/or GPS calculations from the location and/or navigation system616 to monitor the speed of the vehicle 200 and cause the vehiclecontroller 614 to prevent the vehicle from exceeding a maximum speed. Insome embodiments, while traveling, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100may use the location and/or navigation system 616 to determine thecurrent position of the vehicle 200 (and/or the cart 100) and, based onthe current position, cause the vehicle controller 614 to control thevehicle components 634 to proceed on the determined route (e.g., thelocation and/or navigation system 616 may provide GPS guidance for thevehicle 200 to stay on the determined route).

In some embodiments, if the auger assembly portion 102 is in itsoperating position (as opposed to its storage position) while the cart100 and/or the vehicle 200 is traveling in step 904 (e.g., because anoperator of the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 has manually caused theauger assembly 110 to move to its operating position), the vehicle 200and/or the cart 100 may use the location and/or navigation system 616 toavoid, to the extent possible, going within a threshold distance (e.g.,15 to 20 feet) from an outer field boundary, which may have a higherpossibility of obstacles (e.g., trees, tree branches, transmissionlines, buildings, or other structures) that could collide with the augerassembly portion 102 (and/or the discharge portion 104) in the operatingposition. In some embodiments, the threshold distance may be set by amanager (e.g., a remote manager via a remote device 600) or by anoperator of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 906 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) has reached its destinationnear the container 302. In some embodiments, the step 906 may beperformed while the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 are traveling. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine that itis near the container 302 if it is within 10 feet of the container 302.However, this is not required, and, in alternative embodiments, the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use different distances to determinewhether it is near the container 302. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whether it is near the container302 using the location and/or navigation system 616 (e.g., by comparingthe GPS location of the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 to the GPSlocation of the container 302) and/or the one or more proximity sensors618. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)determines in step 906 that the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) hasreached its destination near the container 302, the process 900 mayproceed to a step 916. Otherwise, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) determines in step 906 that the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)has not reached its destination near the container 302, the process 900may continue traveling and proceed to a step 908.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 908 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether any obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/orcart 100. In some embodiments, the step 908 may be performed while thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 are traveling. In some embodiments, thevehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or more proximitysensors 618 to detect any obstacles (e.g., a vehicle, another cart,unharvested crop, a human or other animal, a hole, a tree, or a rock)that may be in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100. Insome embodiments, the one or more proximity sensors 618 may use one ormore of radar, sonar, laser scanning, cameras with image recognitiontechnology, and/or GPS data to detect obstacles. In some embodiments,all carts 100 (and/or vehicles 200) in a harvesting area or harvestingproject may communicate or share planned travel routes with other, andthe cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may additionally or alternativelyuse the shared planned travel routes to detect and avoid obstacles. Insome embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determinesthat one or more obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200and/or cart 100, the process 900 may proceed to a step 910. Otherwise,if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines that no obstaclesexist in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100, the process900 may proceed to the step 904, and the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 maycontinue traveling to the container 302.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 910 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) stops travel toavoid collision of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 with theobstacle. In some embodiments, in step 910, the vehicle 200 and/or thecart 100 may cause the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more ofthe vehicle components 634 (e.g., the braking component and/or steeringcomponent) to avoid collision of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100with the obstacle. In some embodiments, if an obstacle is detected instep 908, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may come to a full stopbefore colliding with the obstacle.

In some embodiments, the step 908 may additionally or alternativelyinclude performing a load balance check to detect whether any indicationof an uneven load that might tip over the cart 100 or otherwise make thecart 100 unstable during movement exists (e.g., using a load balancesensor system), and, if a load imbalance exists, the process 900 mayproceed to step 910 to stop the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 912 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the detected obstacle has cleared. In some embodiments, in step912, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or moreproximity sensors 618 (and/or seek input or a decision from a manager oroperator of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100) to determine if thedetected obstacle has cleared. In some embodiments, if the obstacle hascleared, the process 900 may proceed back to step 904, and the vehicle200 and/or the cart 100 may continue on the determined route. In someembodiments, if the obstacle has not cleared after a threshold amount oftime, the process 900 may proceed to a step 914.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 914 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) calculates a newroute to the container 302 that avoids the obstacle. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine a new routefor travel from the current location of the cart 100 to the location ofthe container 302. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may calculate the new route using the location and/or navigationsystem 616. In some embodiments, the location and/or navigation system616 may use one or more of field maps and/or harvest data. In someembodiments, the one or more of field maps may include the locations(e.g., GPS locations) of one or more permanent obstacles (e.g.,transmission line poles, trees, boulders, fences, barns, houses, etc.)located in the field. In some embodiments, the harvest data may indicateareas of the field that have been harvested and areas of the field thathave not been harvested. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may calculate a new route to the container 302 that avoids(to the extent possible) the one or more permanent obstacles and theareas of the field that have not been harvested (to avoid damage tounharvested crops that might occur if the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100were to travel over and through areas that have not been harvested). Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may calculate a newroute to the container 302 that avoids or reuses previous travel routes,such as tram lines (e.g., to reduce soil compaction). In someembodiments, after a new route is calculated, the process 900 mayproceed back to step 904, and the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 maybegin traveling to the container 302 using the newly calculated route.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 916 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200), afterdetermining that the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) has reached itsdestination near the container 302, may determine whether the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) is far enough away from the container 302 thatthe cart 100 is able to deploy the upper auger assembly portion 102 ofthe auger assembly 110. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may determine whether the current location of the cart 100allows proper clearance (relative to the container 302, any mobilecontainer vehicle 300, and/or any other obstacles) for the augerassembly 110 to be moved (e.g., unfolded) from a storage position (e.g.,as shown in FIGS. 2A-2E) to an operating position (e.g., as shown inFIGS. 1A-1E). In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) determines that there is not proper clearance, the process 900 mayproceed to a step 922. Otherwise, the process 900 may proceed from thestep 916 to a step 918.

In some embodiments, determining whether there is proper clearance instep 916 may additionally or alternatively include determining whetherthe cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) is within a threshold distancefrom an outer field boundary, which may have a higher possibility ofobstacles (e.g., trees, tree branches, transmission lines, buildings, orother structures) that could collide with the auger assembly portion 102when it is moved to the operating position. In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine that there is not properclearance if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) is within thethreshold distance from an outer field boundary.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 918 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether there are any obstacles (e.g., trees and/or power lines) thatmight interfere with movement of the auger assembly 110 from its storageposition to an operating position. In some embodiments, in step 918, thevehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or more proximitysensors 618 to detect any obstacles that might interfere with movementof the auger assembly 110 from its storage position to the operatingposition. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)determines in step 918 that there are no obstacles to movement of theauger assembly 110 to the operating position, the process 900 mayproceed to a step 924. Otherwise, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) determines in step 918 that one or more obstacles exist that mightinterfere with movement of the auger assembly 110 to the operatingposition, the process 900 may proceed to a step 920.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 920 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the auger unfolding obstacle has cleared. In some embodiments,the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whether the augerunfolding obstacle has cleared using the one or more proximity sensors618. In some embodiments, if the obstacle has cleared, the process 900may proceed to a step 924. In some embodiments, if the obstacle has notcleared after a threshold amount of time, the process 900 may proceed toa step 922.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 922 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) moves from acurrent location, which is near the container 302 but was determined to(a) not have proper clearance for the auger assembly 110 to be movedfrom a storage position to an operating position and/or (b) have anobstacle that might interfere with movement of the auger assembly 110from a storage position to an operating position, to a differentlocation that is near the container 302. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the location and/or navigationsystem 616 and/or the one or more proximity sensors 618 to calculate thenew/different location that is near the container 302. In someembodiments, in step 920, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maycause the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the vehiclecomponents 634 (e.g., the steering component, transmission component,and/or acceleration component) to move the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100to the new location. In some embodiments, during the movement of step922, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the one or moreproximity sensors 618 to detect and avoid any obstacles that may be inthe travel path of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100. In some embodiments,the process 900 may proceed from step 922 to steps 916 and 918 todetermine whether the new location has proper clearance to unfold theauger and whether there are any unfolding obstacles.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , the process 900 may include astep 924 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) brings thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 to a full stop (e.g., by causing the vehiclecontroller 614 to control a braking component of the one or more of thevehicle components 634). In some embodiments, bringing the vehicle 200and/or cart 100 to a full stop may include using the one or more speedsensors 632 to confirm that the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 havestopped.

Returning to FIG. 8 , in some embodiments, the process 800 may include astep 814 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) moves (e.g.,unfolds) the auger assembly 110 from its storage position to anoperating position. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may move the auger to the operating position after stoppingat a location (or getting below a slow travel speed threshold) near thecontainer 302 that has proper clearance and is free of obstacles tomoving the auger to the operating position. In some embodiments, in step814, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may move the auger assembly 110to the operating position using the auger positioner 612. In someembodiments, the step 814 may include the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200)using the one or more auger sensors 608 and/or the one or more proximitysensors 618 to determine the position of the upper auger assemblyportion 102 of the auger assembly 110 as it moves from the storageposition to the operating position. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may disengage the auger positioner 612 after theauger assembly portion 102 reaches the operating position.

In some embodiments, while moving the upper auger assembly portion 102in step 814, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may perform obstacledetection (e.g., using the radar, sonar, laser scanning, and/or cameraswith image recognition technology of the one or more proximity sensors618) to prevent the upper auger assembly portion 102 from colliding withany obstacles in the unfolding path. In some embodiments, if an obstacleis detected while moving the upper auger assembly portion 102 of theauger assembly 110 to its operating position in step 814, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may use the auger positioner 612 to stop movementof the upper auger assembly portion 102 before collision. In someembodiments, if an obstacle is detected, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may use the auger positioner 612 to return the upper auger assemblyportion 102 to its storage position. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may perform obstacle detection while returning theupper auger assembly portion 102. In some embodiments, if an obstacle isdetected, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine whether theobstacle has been removed (e.g., within a certain amount of time). Ifthe obstacle is determined to have been removed, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may try again to move the upper auger assembly portion 102of the auger assembly 110 to its operating position. If the obstacle isstill present, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may move to a newlocation for unfolding the auger assembly 110 (e.g., by proceeding backto step 812 of the process 800 of FIG. 8 and/or to step 922 of theprocess 900 of FIG. 9 ).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 816 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) identifies thecontainer 302. In some embodiments, in step 816, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may use the one or more communication interfaces 606 toobtain container information from the container 302. In someembodiments, the container 302 may include a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) tag, the one or more communication interfaces 606may include an RFID tag reader, and the one or more communicationinterfaces 606 may receive the container information by reading the RFIDtag of the container 302. In some embodiments, the container 302 mayinclude a wireless communication interface that conveys wirelessly thecontainer information (e.g., using a Wi-Fi signal, a radio signal suchas a Bluetooth radio signal, or a cellular signal), and the one or morecommunication interfaces 606 may receive the container informationconveyed by the wireless communication interface of the container 302.In some embodiments, the container 302 may have container information(e.g., a container identification) printed on one or more sides of thecontainer 302, and the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use one ormore cameras of the one or more proximity sensors 618 and imagerecognition technology to obtain the container information. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine thecontainer information based on a measured length, height, and/or widthof the container 302 and/or by using a database of containerinformation, which may be located in the one or more storage devices 624of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 and/or in the one or more remotedevices 600. For example, in some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may convey a measured length, height, and/or width of thecontainer 302 to the one or more remote devices 600 (e.g., using the oneor more communication interfaces 606) and, in response, receivecontainer information conveyed by the one or more remote devices 600.

In some embodiments, the container information may include a containeridentification. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may use the container identification to confirm that the container302 is the intended container (e.g., the container 302 selected in step810).

In some embodiments, the container information may additionally oralternatively include one or more container indications. In someembodiments, the one or more container indications may identify one ormore of the container opening size, the container position, thecontainer total capacity, and the container remaining capacity. In somealternative embodiments in which the container information includes acontainer identification for the container 302 but does not include oneor more container indications for the container 302, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may use the container identification to look upthe one or more container indications for the container 302. In someembodiments, one or more container indications for each of one or morecontainer identifications may be stored in a storage device of the cart100 and/or the vehicle 200 (e.g., in a storage device 624), and the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may look up the one or more containerindications by using the container identification for the container 302to retrieve the one or more container indications from the storagedevice. In some alternative embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may look up the one or more container indications by usingthe one or more communication interfaces 606 to convey the containeridentification (e.g., using a Wi-Fi signal, a radio signal such as aBluetooth radio signal, or a cellular signal) and receive the one ormore container indications from one or more remote devices 600. In somefurther alternative embodiments, the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 mayhave already received the one or more container indications (e.g., whendetermining a route to the container 302 in step 810, which may includeselecting a container 302).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 818 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) moves to an initialunloading location. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may cause the vehicle controller 614 to control one or moreof the one or more vehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle200 (e.g., the steering component, the transmission component, thebraking component, and/or the acceleration component) to move to theinitial unloading location. In some embodiments, the initial unloadinglocation may be the location at which the spout of the discharge portion104 of the auger assembly 110 of the cart 100 is positioned over theopening of the container 302. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may determine the initial unloading location using thecontainer information received in step 810 and/or step 816. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may additionally oralternatively determine the initial unloading location using the one ormore proximity sensors 618 (e.g., using sonar, radar, laser scanning,and/or cameras with image recognition technology). In some embodiments,during movement to the initial unloading location, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may perform obstacle detection (e.g., using the one or moreproximity sensors 618) to prevent the vehicle 200, cart 100, and augerassembly 110 from colliding with the container 302, any containervehicle 300, and any other obstacles that may present themselves.

In some embodiments, moving to the initial unloading location in step818 may include using the location and/or navigation system 616 todetermine a route from the current position of the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 (e.g., using one or more of field maps and/or harvest data).In some embodiments, the determined route may, to the extent possible,stay at least a threshold distance from an outer field boundary, whichmay have a higher possibility of obstacles (e.g., trees, tree branches,transmission lines, buildings, or other structures) that could collidewith the auger assembly portion 102 in the operating position.

In some embodiments, moving to the initial unloading location in step818 may include the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 confirming that thecontainer 302 is stationary. In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 may confirm that the container 302 is stationary before thecart 100 and/or 200 begins movement to the initial unloading location.

In some embodiments, moving to the initial unloading location in step818 may position the spout of the discharge portion 104 over the openingof the container 302 such that the material would clear the opening ofthe container 302 when being discharged. In some embodiments, theinitial load position may depend on whether the container 302 alreadyincludes material (e.g., grain). In some embodiments, if the container302 is empty, the initial unload positon may position the spout of thedischarge portion 104 in an optimum location such that the container 302would begin to be filled starting at the end nearest to the directionfrom which the cart 100 is approaching and with the spout aligned ornearly aligned with the longitudinal center line of the container 302(e.g., a center line parallel with the direction of movement of thecontainer 302). In some embodiments, if the container 302 alreadyincludes material, the initial load position may depend on one or moreload distribution parameters of the material in the container 302. Forexample, if the container 302 is already filled at the end nearest tothe direction from which the cart 100 is approaching, the initial unloadpositon may position the spout of the discharge portion 104 in anoptimum location such that the container 302 would begin to be filledstarting at the first location from the end nearest to the directionfrom which the cart 100 is approaching that is not filled (and with thespout aligned or nearly aligned with the longitudinal center line of thecontainer 302).

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use thepitch and/or roll angles of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., asdetected by gyro meters and/or accelerometers) to detect uneven groundand/or different elevations between the cart 100 and the container 302.In some embodiments, the one or more field maps may include theelevation information indicating the elevation at the differentlocations (e.g., GPS locations) covered by the one or more field maps,and the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may additionally oralternatively use the elevation information of the one or more fieldmaps to detect the uneven ground and/or different elevations between thecombine harvester 400 and the cart 100. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may compensate for the uneven ground and/ordifferent elevations when determining the initial unload position and/orperforming obstacle detection to prevent the vehicle 200, cart 100, andauger assembly 110 from colliding with the container 302.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 820 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) engages theauger of the auger assembly 110. In some embodiments, engaging the augerassembly 110 may be performed after the cart 100 is in the initialunload positon. In some embodiments, engaging the auger assembly 110 mayinclude the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) setting a speed of theprime mover and/or engine of the vehicle 200 at a safe engagement speed.In some embodiments, the safe engagement speed may be a speed at whichno damage to auger drive 610 would occur when the auger is started. Insome embodiments, setting the speed of the prime mover and/or the engineof the vehicle 200 at the safe engagement speed may include decreasingthe speed of the prime mover and/or the engine to the safe engagementspeed. In some embodiments, engaging the auger assembly 110 may includeengaging the auger drive 610 to power the auger of the auger assembly110 (e.g., via a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or an engine of thevehicle 200). In some embodiments, engaging the auger assembly 110 mayinclude the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) adjusting (e.g.,increasing) the engine speed or prime mover speed to achieve the properrotational speed of the auger of the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, the proper rotational speed may be, for example and withoutlimitation, an auger RPM in the range of 500 to 600 and/or an augerdrive RPM of 1000. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may use one or more rotation sensors 620 to determine therotational speed of the auger of the auger assembly 110, and the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the determined rotational speed ofthe auger to adjust the engine speed or prime mover speed to achieve theproper rotational speed of the auger of the auger assembly 110.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 822 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) dischargesmaterial from the hopper 118 of the cart 100 to the container 302. Insome embodiments, discharging the material in step 822 may occur afterthe auger is engaged and rotating at the proper speed. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process 1000 of discharging material according tosome non-limiting embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, oneor more steps of the process 1000 may be performed during the step 822of the process 800 of FIG. 8 . In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 (e.g., the one or more computers 622 of the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200) may perform one or more steps of the process 1000.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1002 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) uses the flowgate controller 630 to partially or completely open the flow gate/doorthat separates material at the bottom of the hopper 118 from the augerassembly 110. In some embodiments, opening the flow gate/door may allowmaterial to flow from the hopper 118 into the intake 112 of the lowerauger assembly portion 106 of the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, the auger of the auger assembly 110 may move material fromthe intake 112 to the discharge portion 104 and then discharge thematerial into the container 302.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1004 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines arate at which material is being unloaded from the hopper 118 of the cart100. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may usethe one or more load sensors 602 and/or the one or more hopper cameras604 to monitor the weight and/or height of material (e.g., grain) in thehopper 118. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may determine an unload rate by measuring weight and/or height ofmaterial in the hopper 118 as it changes over time. In some embodiments,the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may additionally or alternativelyuse the one or more material movement/flow sensors 636 in the spout ofthe discharge portion of the auger assembly 110 to determine the unloadrate.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1006 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) adjusts theflow rate (if necessary). In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may adjust the flow rate if the determined flow rate doesnot match a target flow rate. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may use the determined unload rate to adjustpositioning of the flow gate/door to obtain the target unload rate. Insome embodiments, based on the determined unload rate, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may use the flow gate controller 630 move theflow gate/door in the direction of the fully opened position to increasethe flow rate or in the direction of the fully closed position todecrease the flow rate.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includeone or more steps (e.g., steps 1008 and/or 1012) in which the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) monitors the way in which material is fillingthe container 302. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may use the one or more proximity sensors 618 to monitor the way inwhich material is filling the container 302. In some embodiments, theone or more proximity sensors 618 may use one or more of sonar, radar,laser scanning, and/or cameras with image recognition software tomonitor the way in which material is filling the container 302.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1008 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) identifiesany unused container capacity at the current unloading location. In someembodiments, the unused container capacity at the current unloadinglocation may be due to, for example and without limitation, one or morevoids (e.g., empty spaces) in the container 302 at the current unloadinglocation, such as a depression in or unevenness of the material in thecontainer 302. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may use the one or more proximity sensors 618 to identify theunused container capacity. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may additionally or alternatively receive unused containercapacity information from the container 302 and/or container vehicle 300(e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces 606). In someembodiments, the container 302 and/or container vehicle 300 may includeone or more load sensors and/or one or more container cameras, and theunused container capacity information may include raw information fromthe container’s one or more load sensors and/or one or more containercameras and/or an identification of the location of any unused containercapacity detected by the container 302 and/or container vehicle 300. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may receive theunused container capacity information directly from the container 302and/or container vehicle 300 or indirectly from the container 302 and/orcontainer vehicle 300 (e.g., the container 302 and/or container vehicle300 may convey unused container capacity information to a remote device600, and the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may receive the unusedcontainer capacity information from the remote device 600). In someembodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines in step1008 that unused container capacity in the material in the container 302exists, the process 1000 may proceed to a step 1010. Otherwise, if thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines in step 1008 that no unusedcontainer capacity exists, the process 1000 may proceed from step 1008to a step 1012.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1010 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) fills (orattempts to fill) any unused container capacity at the current unloadinglocation that was identified in step 1008. In some embodiments, in step1010, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the spout controller626 to control movement (e.g., rotation and/or tipping) of the spout ofthe discharge portion 104 of the auger assembly 110 to help fill anyidentified unused container capacity at the current unloading locationwith material. In some embodiments, the one or more spout sensors 628may determine a position of the spout of the discharge portion 104 ofthe auger assembly 110, and the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) mayuse the spout controller 626 to control movement of the spout based onthe determined position of the spout and/or information from the one ormore proximity sensors 618.

In some embodiments, the process 1000 may include a step 1012 in whichthe cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines whether the materialhas reached a full level in the container 302 at the location where thecart 100 is unloading the material. In some embodiments, if the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) determines that the material has reached a fulllevel at the container location where material is being unloaded, theprocess 1000 may proceed to a step 1014. Otherwise, the process 1000 mayproceed from step 1012 to a step 1018.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1014 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the container 302 is full. In some embodiments, in step 1014,the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the one or more proximitysensors 618 to determine whether the container 302 is full. In somealternative embodiments, in step 1014, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may additionally or alternatively use a difference between (a) theamount of material in the hopper 118 at the start of materialdischarging into the container 302 and (b) the current amount ofmaterial in the hopper 118 (as determined by the one or more loadsensors 602, the one or more hopper cameras 604, and/or the one or moreflow sensors 636) to calculate the amount of material unloaded. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine thatthe container 302 is full when the calculated amount of unloadedmaterial is equal to the remaining capacity of the container 302 at thestart of material discharge (e.g., using container capacity informationreceived in step 810 or 816). In some embodiments, if the container 302is determined to be not full in step 1014, the discharging materialprocess 1000 may proceed to a step 1016. In some embodiments, if thecontainer 302 is determined to be full in step 1014, the dischargingprocess 1000 (and/or the discharging material step 822) may end.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1016 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) moves to anew unloading location so that the cart 100 directs material into a newlocation of the container 302. In some embodiments, in step 1016, thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the vehicle controller 614 tocontrol the one or more vehicle components 634 to move (e.g., moveforward) to the new unloading location. In some embodiments, moving thecart 100 to direct material into a new location of the container 302 mayprevent material from over-flowing the container 302. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may perform obstacledetection (e.g., using the one or more proximity sensors 618) so thatthe cart 100 (including the auger assembly 110 in the operatingposition) and vehicle 200 do not collide with container 302, anycontainer vehicle 300, or any other obstacles while moving to the newunloading location. In some embodiments, the process 1000 may proceedfrom the step 1016 to a step 1018.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10 , the process 1000 may includea step 1018 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the hopper 118 of the cart 100 is empty. In some embodiments, instep 1018, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the one or moreload sensors 602, the one or more hopper cameras 604, and/or the one ormore flow sensors 636 to determine whether the hopper 118 of the cart100 is empty. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may determine that the hopper 118 is empty if the amount of materialremaining in the hopper 118 is less than or equal to an empty threshold.In some embodiments, the empty threshold may be a non-zero amount (e.g.,a non-zero weight, a non-zero volume, or a non-zero height). In someembodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) neither determinethat the container 302 is full nor that the hopper 118 of the cart 100is empty, the process 1000 may proceed from steps 1016 and 1018 back tostep 1004. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)determines that the hopper 118 of the cart 100 is empty, the dischargeprocess 1000 (and/or the discharging material step 822) may end.

In some embodiments, the cart 100, vehicle 200, discharge process 1000,and/or material discharging step 822 of the process 800 may include oneor more features to facilitate even distribution of material in acontainer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,272,853, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

Returning to FIG. 8 , when the material discharging step 822 ends, theprocess 800 may proceed to a step 824 in which the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) shuts down the auger of the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, shutting down the auger may include the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) using the flow gate controller 630 to partially orcompletely close the flow gate/door that separates material at thebottom of the hopper 118 from the intake 112 of the auger assembly 110.In some embodiments, shutting down the auger may include the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) setting a speed of the prime mover and/orengine of the vehicle 200 at a safe disengagement speed. In someembodiments, the safe disengagement speed may be a speed at which nodamage to auger drive 610 would occur when the auger is stopped. In someembodiments, setting the speed of the prime mover and/or the engine ofthe vehicle 200 at the safe disengagement speed may include decreasingthe speed of the prime mover and/or the engine to the safe disengagementspeed. In some embodiments, shutting down the auger may includedisengaging the auger drive 610 so that the auger of the auger assembly110 no longer receives power (e.g., via a power takeoff, a prime mover,and/or an engine of the vehicle 200). In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may use the one or more rotation sensors 620 todetermine the rotational speed of the auger of the auger assembly 110,and the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the determinedrotational speed of the auger to confirm that the auger stops rotating.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 826 in which the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 moves to an augerfolding location. In some embodiments, the auger folding location may bea location at which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) is able tosafely fold the auger assembly 110 from the operating position to thestorage position. FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a process 1100 oftraveling to an auger folding location according to some non-limitingembodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, one or more steps ofthe process 1100 may be performed during the step 826 of the process 800of FIG. 8 . In some embodiments, the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g.,the one or more computers 622 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200) mayperform one or more steps of the process 1100.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1102 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines anauger folding location and calculates a route to the determined augerfolding location. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle200) may use the location and/or navigation system 616 to determine theauger folding location and/or calculate the route to the determinedauger folding location. In some embodiments, the determined augerfolding location may be the location at which the auger assembly 110 wasunfolded in 814. However, this is not required, and, in some alternativeembodiments, the determined auger folding location may be a differentlocation. In some embodiments, the location and/or navigation system 616may calculate the route using one or more of field maps and/or harvestdata. In some embodiments, the location and/or navigation system 616 mayadditionally or alternatively calculate the route using information fromthe one or more proximity sensors 618. For example, the location and/ornavigation system 616 may calculate a route that avoids any obstaclesdetected using the one or more proximity sensors 618 (e.g., to avoid anydetected obstacles that are not included in the permanent obstacles ofthe field maps).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1104 in which the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may travel tothe determined auger folding location. In some embodiments, the vehicle200 and/or the cart 100 may travel to the determined auger foldinglocation using the route determined in step 1102. In some embodiments,in step 1104, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may travel by usingthe vehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the one or morevehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., thesteering component). In some embodiments, while traveling, the vehicle200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or more speed sensors 632 tomonitor the speed of the vehicle 200 and cause the vehicle controller614 to prevent the vehicle from exceeding a maximum speed. In someembodiments, while traveling, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 mayuse the location and/or navigation system 616 to determine the currentposition of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 and, based on thecurrent position, cause the vehicle controller 614 to control thevehicle components 634 to proceed on the determined route (e.g., thelocation and/or navigation system 616 may provide GPS guidance for thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 to stay on the determine route). In someembodiments, the determined route may, to the extent possible, stay atleast a threshold distance from an outer field boundary, which may havea higher possibility of obstacles (e.g., trees, tree branches,transmission lines, buildings, or other structures) that could collidewith the auger assembly portion 102 in the operating position.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1106 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) has reached its destination atthe determined auger folding location. In some embodiments, the step1106 may be performed while the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 aretraveling. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may determine whether it is at the determined auger folding locationusing the location and/or navigation system 616 (e.g., by comparing theGPS location of the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 to the GPS locationof the determined auger folding location) and/or the one or moreproximity sensors 618. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) determines in step 1106 that the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) has reached its destination at the determined auger foldinglocation, the process 1100 may proceed to a step 1116. Otherwise, if thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines in step 1106 that the cart100 (and/or the vehicle 200) has not reached its destination at thedetermined auger folding location, the process 1100 may continuetraveling and proceed to a step 1108.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1108 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether any obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/orcart 100. In some embodiments, the step 1108 may be performed while thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 are traveling. In some embodiments, thevehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or more proximitysensors 618 to detect any obstacles (e.g., a vehicle, a human or otheranimal, a hole, a tree, or a rock) that may be in the travel path of thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100. In some embodiments, the one or moreproximity sensors 618 may use one or more of radar, sonar, laserscanning, cameras with image recognition technology, and/or GPS data todetect obstacles. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) determines that one or more obstacles exist in the travelpath of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100, the process 1100 may proceed toa step 1110. Otherwise, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)determines that no obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200and/or cart 100, the process 1100 may proceed to the step 1104, and thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 may continue traveling to the determinedauger folding location.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1110 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) stops travelto avoid collision of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 with theobstacle. In some embodiments, in step 1110, the vehicle 200 and/or thecart 100 may cause the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more ofthe vehicle components 634 (e.g., the braking component and/or steeringcomponent) to avoid collision of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100with the obstacle. In some embodiments, if an obstacle is detected instep 1108, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may come to a full stopbefore colliding with the obstacle.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1112 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the detected obstacle has cleared. In some embodiments, in step1112, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or moreproximity sensors 618 to determine if the detected obstacle has cleared.In some embodiments, if the obstacle has cleared, the process 1100 mayproceed back to step 1104, and the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 maycontinue on the determined route. In some embodiments, if the obstaclehas not cleared after a threshold amount of time, the process 1100 mayproceed to a step 1114.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1114 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) calculates anew route that avoids the obstacle. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may calculate the new route using the locationand/or navigation system 616. In some embodiments, the location and/ornavigation system 616 may use one or more of field maps and/or harvestdata. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maycalculate a new route for travel from the current location of the cart100 to the determined auger folding location. In some alternativeembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine a newauger folding location and calculate a new route for travel from thecurrent location of the cart 100 to the newly determined auger foldinglocation. In some further alternative embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orthe vehicle 200) may (i) calculate a new route to the determined augerfolding location, (ii) determine a new auger folding location andcalculate a route to the newly determined auger folding location, and(iii) select one of the routes. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may select one of the routes by comparing theroutes and selecting a route based on one or more criteria (e.g., whichroute is shorter, quicker, uses less fuel, and/or causes the least soilcompaction). In some embodiments, after a new route is calculated, theprocess 1100 may proceed back to step 1104, and the vehicle 200 and/orthe cart 100 may begin traveling to an auger folding location using thenewly calculated route.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1116 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200), afterdetermining that the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) has reached itsdestination at the auger folding location, may determine whether thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) is far enough away from the container302 for the cart 100 to be able to fold the auger assembly 110. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whetherthe current location of the cart 100 allows proper clearance (relativeto the container 302, any mobile container vehicle 300, and/or any otherobstacles) for the auger assembly 110 to be moved (e.g., folded) from anoperating position (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1A-1E) to a storage position(e.g., as shown in FIGS. 2A-2E). In some embodiments, if the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) determines that there is not proper clearance,the process 1100 may proceed to a step 1122. Otherwise, the process 1100may proceed from the step 1116 to a step 1118.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1118 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether there are any obstacles that might interfere with movement ofthe auger assembly 110 from its operating position to a storageposition. In some embodiments, in step 1118, the vehicle 200 and/or thecart 100 may use the one or more proximity sensors 618 to detect anyobstacles that might interfere with movement of the auger assembly 110from its operating position to the storage position. In someembodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines in step1118 that there are no obstacles to movement of the auger assembly 110to the storage position, the process 1100 may proceed to a step 1124.Otherwise, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines in step1118 that one or more obstacles exist that might interfere with movementof the auger assembly 110 to the storage position, the process 1100 mayproceed to a step 1120.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1120 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determineswhether the auger folding obstacle has cleared. In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whether the augerfolding obstacle has cleared using the one or more proximity sensors618. In some embodiments, if the obstacle has cleared, the process 1100may proceed to a step 1124. In some embodiments, if the obstacle has notcleared after a threshold amount of time, the process 1100 may proceedto a step 1122.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1122 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determines anew auger folding location and calculates a route to the newlydetermined auger folding location (e.g., in the same manner describedabove with respect to step 1102). In some embodiments, the process 1100may proceed from step 1122 to step 1104 to travel to the new augerfolding location.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11 , the process 1100 may includea step 1124 in which the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) brings thevehicle 200 and/or cart 100 to a full stop (e.g., by causing the vehiclecontroller 614 to control a braking component of the one or more of thevehicle components 634). In some embodiments, bringing the vehicle 200and/or cart 100 to a full stop may include using the one or more speedsensors 632 to confirm that the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 havestopped.

Returning to FIG. 8 , in some embodiments, the process 800 may include astep 828 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200), after reaching alocation near the container 302 that has proper clearance and is free ofobstacles to moving the auger to a storage position, moves (e.g., folds)the auger assembly 110 from its operating position to a storageposition. In some embodiments, the location for moving the augerassembly 110 to the storage position in step 828 may be the samelocation used for moving the auger assembly 110 to the operatingposition in step 814. However, this is not required, and, in somealternative embodiments, a different location may be used. In someembodiments, in step 828, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may move theauger assembly 110 to the storage position using the auger positioner612. In some embodiments, the step 828 may include the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) using the one or more auger sensors 608 and/or the one ormore proximity sensors 618 to determine the position of the upper augerassembly portion 102 of the auger assembly 110 as it moves from theoperating position to the storage position. In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may disengage the auger positioner 612after the auger assembly portion 102 reaches the storage position.

In some embodiments, while moving the upper auger assembly portion 102in step 828, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may perform obstacledetection (e.g., using the radar, sonar, laser scanning, and/or cameraswith image recognition technology of the one or more proximity sensors618) to prevent the upper auger assembly portion 102 from colliding withany obstacles in the folding path. In some embodiments, if an obstacleis detected while moving the upper auger assembly portion 102 of theauger assembly 110 to its storage position in step 828, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may use the auger positioner 612 to stop movementof the upper auger assembly portion 102 before collision. In someembodiments, if an obstacle is detected, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may use the auger positioner 612 to return the upper auger assemblyportion 102 to its operating position. In some embodiments, the cart 100(and/or vehicle 200) may perform obstacle detection while returning theupper auger assembly portion 102 to its operating position. In someembodiments, if an obstacle is detected, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may determine whether the obstacle has been removed (e.g., within acertain amount of time). If the obstacle is determined to have beenremoved, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may try again to move theupper auger assembly portion 102 of the auger assembly 110 to itsstorage position. If the obstacle is still present, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may move to a new location for folding the auger assembly110 (e.g., by proceeding back to step 826 of the process 800 of FIG. 8and/or to step 1122 of the process 1100 of FIG. 11 ).

In some embodiments, if an obstacle to moving the auger assembly 110 toits storage position is detected in step 828, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may notify a combine harvester 400, and/or a remotemanager, of the obstacle (e.g., by using the one or more communicationinterfaces 606 to convey a message to the combine harvester 400 and/or aremote device 600). In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may request instructions or guidance for proceeding from thecombine harvester 400 and/or remote manager and may proceed according toany instructions or guidance received.

In some embodiments, the step 828 may include the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) confirming that the auger assembly 110 is in the storageposition before proceeding from step 828. In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) may use the one or more auger sensors 608, theone or more proximity sensors 618, and/or one or more sensors in thefold/linkage mechanism to determine whether the upper auger assemblyportion 102 of the auger assembly 110 is in the storage position. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may obtainconfirmation about the position of the auger assembly 110 before movingbecause having the auger assembly 110 out could result in a collision ofthe auger assembly 110 with the auger or conveyor of the combineharvester 400 or other obstacles in the field (e.g., trees, power lines,etc.).

In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determined(e.g., in step 822) that the container 302 was full (or that apredetermined amount of material was discharged into the container 302)and stopped discharging material before the hopper 118 of the cart 100was empty, the process 800 may proceed from step 828 to a step 836 inwhich a route to a new container 302 (if available) is determined. Insome embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determined(e.g., in step 822) that the hopper 118 of the cart 100 was empty, theprocess 800 may proceed from step 828 to a step 830 in which a route toa combine harvester 400 is determined.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 830 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) calculates a routeto a combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) calculates a route to the combine harvester 400 that wasthe last to offload material to the cart 100 (e.g., in step 804) or to adifferent combine harvester. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may calculate a route to a combine harvester 400 to whichthe cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) is assigned. In some embodiments, acombine harvester 400 and/or a remote device 600 may assign one or morecarts 100 to a particular harvester 400 (e.g., to avoid more carts thannecessary going to the same combine harvester 400). In some embodiments,a combine harvester 400 may convey a request for one or more carts 100(e.g., including an order of preference) to a remote device 600, and theremote device 600 may assign an available cart 100 of the one or morerequested carts to the combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, in step 830, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may receive the location (e.g., GPS location) of a combine harvester 400(e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces 606). In someembodiments, the one or more communication interfaces 606 of the cart100 and/or the vehicle 200 may receive the harvester location directlyfrom the combine harvester 400 and/or indirectly from the combineharvester 400 (e.g., using one or more relays). In some embodiments, theone or more communication interfaces 606 of the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 may additionally or alternatively receive the harvesterlocation from one or more remote devices 600 (e.g., a cloud server) towhich the combine harvester 400 has uploaded its location (e.g., usingradio signals and/or cellular signals). In some embodiments, the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) may use the location and/or navigation system616 to calculate a route to the received location of the combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the location and/or navigationsystem 616 may use one or more of field maps and/or harvest data tocalculate the route. In some embodiments, as harvesting that will takeplace in the near future may open up a better route, the routecalculations may consider unharvested areas that are predicted to beharvested by the time the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 would arrive.

In some embodiments, in step 830, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may receive additional harvester information about the combine harvester400. In some embodiments, the additional harvester information mayinclude, for example and without limitation, a harvester identification,direction information indicating the direction in which the combineharvester 400 is traveling, speed information indicating the speed atwhich the combine harvester 400 is traveling, and/or route informationindicating a planned route on which the combine harvester 400 istraveling. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may use the received location of the combine harvester 400 and theadditional harvester information to calculate a predicted meetinglocation. In some embodiments, the predicted meeting location may be alocation on the combine harvester 400′s planned route at which the cart100 can meet the combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, calculatingthe predicted meeting location may consider whether the hopper of thecombine harvester 400 has or is predicted to run out of capacity, whichwould require the combine harvester 400 to stop moving until offloadingbegins. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) mayuse the location and/or navigation system 616 to calculate a route tothe predicted meeting location (instead of to the received location ofthe combine harvester 400). In some embodiments, the location and/ornavigation system 616 may use one or more of field maps and/or harvestdata to calculate the route to the predicted meeting location.

In some embodiments, in step 830, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200)may receive the location (e.g., GPS location) of two or more combineharvesters 400 (e.g., using the one or more communication interfaces606). In some embodiments, the one or more communication interfaces 606of the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 may receive the two or moreharvester locations directly and/or indirectly from the two or morecombine harvesters 400, and/or the one or more communication interfaces606 may receive the two or more harvester locations from a remotelocation (e.g., cloud server) to which the two or more combineharvesters 400 have uploaded their locations (e.g., using radio signalsand/or cellular signals). In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or thevehicle 200) may also receive additional harvester information about thetwo or more combine harvesters 400. In some embodiments, the additionalharvester information may include, for example and without limitation, aharvester identification, direction information indicating the directionin which the combine harvester 400 is traveling, speed informationindicating the speed at which the combine harvester 400 is traveling,route information indicating a planned route on which the combineharvester 400 is traveling, material information indicating how muchmaterial (e.g., grain) the combine harvester 400 has to offload and/orhow much remaining material capacity the combine harvester 400 has, andcart information indicating how many carts 100 are servicing (e.g.,receiving material from) and/or waiting to service the combine harvester400.

In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may select one ofthe two or more combine harvesters as the destination harvester. In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may select the combineharvester 400 that was the last to offload material to the cart 100(e.g., in step 804) as the destination harvester. In some embodiments,the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may select the destination combineharvester using one or more selection criteria. In some embodiments, theone or more selection criteria may consider one or more of: (i) how farthe combine harvesters 400 are from the cart 100 or vehicle 200, (ii)how long (distance or time wise) the routes from the location of thecart 100 or vehicle 200 to the received locations or predicted meetinglocations are, (iii) how many carts 100 are already servicing thecombine harvester 400, (iv) how close the combine harvesters 400 are toreaching material capacity, (v) how far the combine harvesters 400 arefrom other carts 100 having material capacity, and/or (vi) how long(distance or time wise) the routes from the locations of other carts 100having material capacity to current harvester locations or predictedmeeting locations are. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may select the combine harvester 400 having the shortest or fastestroute, having the fewest carts 100 servicing or waiting to service it,and/or that is closest to reaching material capacity. In someembodiments, the harvester selection may be made based on selectionpreferences of an operator or manager. In some embodiments, the one ormore remote devices 600 or a combine harvester 400 may select thecombine harvester 400 that will load material into the cart 100 (insteadof the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 making the selection) and convey anidentification of the selected combine harvester 400 to the cart 100and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., in response to a request from the cart 100and/or vehicle 200 for a harvester selection). In some embodiments, theremote device 600 or combine harvester 400 may similarly use one or moreselection criteria, which may consider pertinent information (e.g.,location and/or remaining capacity) related to one or more combineharvesters 400 and/or one or more carts 100. In some embodiments, thecart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may use the location and/or navigationsystem 616 to calculate a route to a received location of the selectedcombine harvester 400 or to a predicted meeting location of the cart 100and the selected combine harvester 400 on the planned route of theselected combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, all carts 100 (and/or vehicles 200) in a harvestingarea or harvesting project may communicate or share planned travelroutes with other, and the calculated route may additionally oralternatively take into account the shared planned travel routes tocollisions with other carts 100 and/or vehicles 200 while traveling tothe selected combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 832 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) travels to a combineharvester 400. In some embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200)may travel to a combine harvester 400 using the route calculated in step830. In some embodiments, in step 832, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart100 may travel by using the vehicle controller 614 to control one ormore of the one or more vehicle components 634 of the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 (e.g., the steering component). In some embodiments, whiletraveling, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 may use the one or morespeed sensors 632 to monitor the speed of the vehicle 200 and cause thevehicle controller 614 to prevent the vehicle from exceeding a maximumspeed. In some embodiments, while traveling, the vehicle 200 and/or thecart 100 may use the location and/or navigation system 616 to determinethe current position of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 and, basedon the current position, cause the vehicle controller 614 to control thevehicle components 634 to proceed on the determined route (e.g., thelocation and/or navigation system 616 may provide GPS guidance for thevehicle 200 to stay on the determined route).

In some embodiments, if the auger assembly portion 102 is in itsoperating position (as opposed to its storage position) while the cart100 and/or the vehicle 200 is traveling in step 832 (e.g., because anoperator of the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 has manually caused theauger assembly 110 to move to its operating position), the vehicle 200and/or the cart 100 may use the location and/or navigation system 616 toavoid, to the extent possible, going within a threshold distance from anouter field boundary, which may have a higher possibility of obstacles(e.g., trees, tree branches, transmission lines, buildings, or otherstructures) that could collide with the auger assembly portion 102 inthe operating position.

In some embodiments, in step 832, while the vehicle 200 and/or the cart100 are traveling, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determinewhether any obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/orcart 100. In some embodiments, the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 mayuse the one or more proximity sensors 618 to detect any obstacles (e.g.,a vehicle, a human or other animal, a hole, a tree, or a rock) that maybe in the travel path of the vehicle 200 and/or cart 100. In someembodiments, the one or more proximity sensors 618 may use one or moreof radar, sonar, laser scanning, cameras with image recognitiontechnology, and/or GPS data to detect obstacles.

In some embodiments, if the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) determinesthat one or more obstacles exist in the travel path of the vehicle 200and/or cart 100, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may stop travelto avoid collision of the vehicle 200 and/or the cart 100 with theobstacle (e.g., by causing the vehicle controller 614 to control one ormore of the vehicle components 634 such as, for example and withoutlimitation, the braking component and/or steering component). In someembodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whetherthe detected obstacle has cleared (e.g., using the one or more proximitysensors 618). In some embodiments, if the obstacle has not cleared aftera threshold amount of time, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maycalculate a new route that avoids the obstacle (e.g., using the locationand/or navigation system 616, field maps, and/or harvest data).

In some embodiments, when the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 reach thecombine harvester 400, the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 may,depending on the circumstances, not be able to immediately approach thecombine harvester 400 and position the hopper 118 to receive material(e.g., grain) from the combine harvester 400. For example, if thecombine harvester 400 is starting to harvest a field (or has juststarted harvesting the field), there may not be sufficient harvestedareas of the field for the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 to approachthe combine harvester 400 and position the hopper 118 to receivematerial from the combine harvester 400 without the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 traveling over and possibly damaging unharvested areas ofthe field. In some embodiments, if the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200is not immediately able to approach the combine harvester 400 andposition the hopper 118 to receive material, the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 may hold a position at the edge of the field (e.g., bycausing the vehicle controller 614 to control one or more of the vehiclecomponents 634 such as, for example and without limitation, the brakingcomponent) until the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 is able to approachthe combine harvester 400 and position the hopper 118 to receivematerial.

In some alternative embodiments, if the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200is not immediately able to approach the combine harvester 400 andposition the hopper 118 to receive material, the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 may follow the combine harvester 400 on the newly harvestedpath of the combine harvester 400 as it cuts through the unharvestedfield. In some embodiments, while following the combine harvester 400,the cart 100 and/or the vehicle 200 may stay a set-back distance (e.g.,a few hundred feet) away from the combine harvester 400 (e.g., to avoidcolliding with the combine harvester 400 if the combine harvester 400stops or slows down and/or to provide space if the combine harvester 400needs to back up). In some embodiments, if the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 determines that the combine harvester 400 stops (e.g., usingthe one or more proximity sensors 618) while the cart 100 and/or thevehicle 200 is following the combine harvester 400, the cart 100 and/orthe vehicle 200 may back up (e.g., by causing the vehicle controller 614to control one or more of the vehicle components 634 such as, forexample and without limitation, a transmission component, a steeringcomponent, and/or an acceleration component) to provide space for thecombine harvester 400 in the event that the combine harvester 400 backsup.

In some embodiments, during the traveling of steps 812 and 832, the cart100 (and/or vehicle 200) may determine whether the cart 100 and/orvehicle 200 is having difficulties (e.g., mechanical difficulties). Insome embodiments, the mechanical difficulties determined may include,for example and without limitation, one or more of gearbox overheating,incorrect torque to unload, engine issues, axle driveline issues,transmission issues, and power takeoff RPMs. In some embodiments, if thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 is determined to be having difficulties, thecart 100 and/or vehicle 200 may shut itself down and convey (e.g.,upload) a maintenance alert to the one or more remote devices 600 (e.g.,a cloud server). In some embodiments, the maintenance alert may includea location of the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200 (e.g., as determined bythe location and navigation system 616). In some embodiments, the one ormore remote devices 600 may pass on the maintenance alert to theappropriate maintenance crew or individual, who may tow, repair, orotherwise service the cart 100 and/or vehicle 200. In some embodiments,the one or more remote devices 600 may pass on the location of anydowned carts or vehicles, which may be received from other carts 100and/or vehicles 200 and taken into consideration for route calculationpurposes.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 834 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) initiates materialoffloading. In some embodiments, in step 834, the cart 100 (and/orvehicle 200) may initiate material offloading in the manner describedabove with respect to step 802. In some embodiments, the process 800 mayproceed from step 834 to the step 804 in which the cart 100 receivesmaterial from the combine harvester 400.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the process 800 may include astep 836 in which the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) determines a routefor travel to another container 302. In some embodiments, in step 836,the cart 100 (and/or vehicle 200) may calculate the travel route in themanner described above with respect to step 810. In some embodiments,the process 800 may proceed from the step 836 to the step 812 in whichthe vehicle 200 and/or cart 100 travel to the next container 302 tocontinue unloading the material from the hopper 118 of the cart 100.However, if no container 302 is available, the cart 100 (and/or vehicle200) may wait until a container 302 becomes available before determiningthe route to the newly available container 302 and then proceeding tothe step 812, or the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may proceed tothe step 830 (and steps 832 and 834) to travel to and receive additionalmaterial from a combine harvester 400. In some embodiments, if nocontainer 302 is available, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) maydetermine the amount of material remaining in the hopper 118 and/or theremaining capacity of the hopper 118 (e.g., using the one or more loadsensors 602 and/or the one or more hopper cameras 604), and the cart 100(and/or the vehicle 200) may determine whether to wait for the nextavailable container 302 or travel to and receive additional materialfrom a combine harvester 400 based on the determined amount of materialremaining in the hopper 118 and/or the determined remaining capacity ofthe hopper 118. In some embodiments, determining whether to wait mayinclude comparing the determined amount of material remaining in thehopper 118 to a wait amount threshold and/or comparing the determinedremaining capacity of the hopper 118 to a wait capacity threshold. Insome embodiments, the cart 100 (and/or the vehicle 200) may determine towait for the next available container 302 if the determined amount ofmaterial remaining in the hopper 118 exceeds the wait amount thresholdand/or if the determined remaining capacity of the hopper 118 is belowthe wait capacity threshold.

In some embodiments, one or more of the systems described above may beperiodic systems updated on a periodic (e.g., yearly) basis. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or more of the field maps, harvestdata, performance parameters, auger fold locations, outer fieldboundaries, container information, etc. may be checked and/or updatedperiodically.

Embodiments of the present invention have been fully described abovewith reference to the drawing figures. Although the invention has beendescribed based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparentto those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, andalternative constructions could be made to the described embodimentswithin the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although insome embodiments the auger assembly 110 of the cart 100 may be a foldingauger assembly capable of being moved between storage and operatingpositions, this is not required, and, in some alternative embodiments,the auger assembly 110 of the cart 100 may not be capable of foldingand/or may always stay in an operating position.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a cart, wherein the cartincludes a hopper; one or more vehicle components, wherein the one ormore vehicle components comprise a power source, a steering component, atransmission component, a braking component, an acceleration component,a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or an engine; a vehicle controller;a location and/or navigation system; one or more communicationinterfaces; and one or more computers configured to: use the one or morecommunication interfaces to receive one or more containeridentifications, wherein the one or more container identificationsidentify one or more containers, respectively, and each of the one ormore container identifications includes a location of a container of theone or more containers; use the received one or more containeridentifications to select a container for unloading material from thehopper of the cart; use the location and/or navigation system todetermine a location of the cart; use the location and/or navigationsystem to determine a route from the location of the cart to a locationof the selected container; and cause the vehicle controller to controlone or more of the one or more vehicle components to move the cart tothe location of the selected container on the determined route.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more containeridentifications comprises receiving only one container identification,and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper ofthe cart comprises selecting the container identified by the onereceived container identification.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein theone received container identification includes an assigned capacity ofmaterial to unload into the selected container.
 4. The system of claim1, wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprisesreceiving two or more container identifications.
 5. The system of claim4, wherein selecting the container for unloading material from thehopper of the cart comprises considering route distances between thecart and the containers identified by the two or more containeridentifications.
 6. The system of claim 4, wherein selecting thecontainer for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprisesconsidering estimated travel times to the containers identified by thetwo or more container identifications.
 7. The system of claim 4, whereineach of the two or more container identifications includes a remainingcapacity of the container identified by the container identification,and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper ofthe cart comprises considering a volume of material in the hopper of thecart and the remaining capacities of the containers identified by thetwo or more container identifications.
 8. The system of claim 4, whereineach of the two or more container identifications includes an indicationof whether the container identified by the container identification or aportion of a capacity of the container identified by the containeridentification is reserved by one or more other carts, and selecting thecontainer for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprisesconsidering the indications of whether the containers or portionsthereof identified by the container identifications are reserved by oneor more other carts.
 9. The system of claim 4, wherein selecting thecontainer for unloading material from the hopper of the cart comprisesconsidering whether the containers identified by the two or morecontainer identifications are stationary or moving.
 10. The system ofclaim 4, wherein each of the two or more container identificationsincludes a remaining capacity of the container identified by thecontainer identification, and selecting the container for unloadingmaterial from the hopper of the cart comprises: determining which of thecontainers identified by the two or more container identifications havea remaining capacity sufficient to receive the material in the hopper ofthe cart; and selecting a container of the containers determined to havea remaining capacity sufficient to receive the material in the hopper ofthe cart that is closest to the location of the cart.
 11. The system ofclaim 4, wherein selecting the container for unloading material from thehopper of the cart comprises selecting one or more containers identifiedby the two or more container identifications that would result in thefastest unloading of the cart.
 12. The system of claim 4, wherein eachof the two or more container identifications includes a remainingcapacity of the container identified by the container identification,and selecting the container for unloading material from the hopper ofthe cart comprises selecting one or more containers identified by thetwo or more container identifications such that the remaining capacitiesof the selected one or more containers would be completely filled by thematerial in the hopper of the cart.
 13. The system of claim 1, whereineach of the one or more container identifications includes a uniqueidentification number for the identified container, and the one or morecomputers are further configured to: using the one or more communicationinterfaces and/or one or more cameras to obtain container informationfrom the selected container, wherein the container information includesa container identification; and confirming that the uniqueidentification number of the container identification identifying theselected container matches the container identification of the containerinformation obtained from the selected container.
 14. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more computers are further configured toobtain one or more container indications for the selected container,wherein the container indications identify a container opening size, acontainer position, a container total capacity, and/or a containerremaining capacity.
 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or morecomputers are further configured to use the one or more communicationinterfaces to communicate a weight of the material in the hopper of thecart.
 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors,wherein the one or more computers are configured to: use the locationand/or navigation system and/or the one or more sensors to determinewhether the cart is near the location of the selected container; and ifthe cart is determined to be near the location of the selectedcontainer, cause the vehicle controller to control the one or morevehicle components to stop the cart.
 17. A method performed by a system,the method comprising: using one or more communication interfaces of thesystem to receive one or more container identifications, wherein the oneor more container identifications identify one or more containers,respectively, and each of the one or more container identificationsincludes a location of a container of the one or more containers; usingthe received one or more container identifications to select a containerfor unloading material from a hopper of a cart of the system; using alocation and/or navigation system of the system to determine a locationof the cart; using the location and/or navigation system to determine aroute from the location of the cart to a location of the selectedcontainer; and causing a vehicle controller of the system to control oneor more vehicle components of the system to move the cart to thelocation of the selected container on the determined route, wherein theone or more vehicle components comprise a power source, a steeringcomponent, a transmission component, a braking component, anacceleration component, a power takeoff, a prime mover, and/or anengine.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving the one or morecontainer identifications comprises receiving only one containeridentification, and selecting the container for unloading material fromthe hopper of the cart comprises selecting the container identified bythe one received container identification.
 19. The method of claim 17,wherein receiving the one or more container identifications comprisesreceiving two or more container identifications.
 20. The method of claim17, wherein selecting the container for unloading material from thehopper of the cart comprises considering route distances between thecart and the containers identified by the two or more containeridentifications.